Stars
by Goldilocks775
Summary: The night Harry's parents were murdered was a very confusing night for him. And the morning after was even more so. Because, you see, he didn't know his Aunt Narcissa and Uncle Lucius very well, and his cousin Draco was never very nice to him. But maybe they'd learn to love him.
1. Chapter 1: Green Sparks

The Snakey Guy screams. Mummy screamed once when there was a big spider on her face, but it didn't sound like The Snakey Guy screaming.

Then The Snakey Guy goes away. I'm glad. I don't like The Snakey Guy. He yelled weird stuff at Mummy and me. And he made Mummy sleep.

My forehead hurts. It hurt when The Snakey Guy made the green light. It hurts more than when I cut my thumb, and more than when Tabby The Cat bit my hand.

I cry, cos' my forehead hurts. A lot.

A guy with yucky hair and a weird nose comes in.

He hugs Mummy and starts crying.

Silly man. Only babies cry.

I don't like him. He hugged Mummy, and only Daddy and me can hug Mummy.

The guy with the yucky hair and the weird nose leaves.

After a while _another_ guy comes in.

He's very big.

He has hair on his chin! Daddy has hair on his chin almost every day but he makes it go away, because Mummy said she doesn't like beards. What's a beard?

Mummy doesn't have messy black hair like Daddy. She has red hair that's pretty and tidy. I have hair like Daddy. Not like Mummy, but my eyes look like Mummy's eyes.

Mummy's eyes are pretty, so I guess that means I have pretty eyes.

The big man with hair on his chin looks at mummy on the ground. He starts crying.

I stare at him, confused. Adults don't cry! Except Mummy cried once on the day they dressed me in the same colour as daddy's hair and put two boxes in the dirt. She was saying Mummy and Daddy.

I never saw Nanna and Papa again.

That happened one time before. They dressed me in black and put more boxes in the ground, and this time Daddy cried. Mummy hugged him and told him nice things, like he did when she cried.

I never saw Granny or Grandpa again.

My Mummy doesn't have a Mummy or a Daddy anymore, and neither does my Daddy.

I can see Mummy. She isn't talking to me like she normally does. She is sleeping. I don't know where Daddy is. Maybe he's sleeping too.

I start crying because I want Mummy to talk to me and hug me and I want Daddy to make pretty lights, not The Snakey Guy who made Mummy go to sleep.

He made green lights.

Tabby The Cat ran away when she saw the green lights. I don't know where she went.

The big man with hair on his chin picks me up. "There, there. It'll be ok." He pats my back.

I want Mummy and Daddy to hug me and pat my back, not the big man with hair on his chin!

He wraps me in the blanket from my cot and walks out my bedroom door.

I reach out to Mummy. It's strange. Why is she sleeping with her eyes open?

You have to sleep with your eyes closed. It's the rules.

Mummy always follows the rules. Why isn't she now?

We walk down the stairs. We go through the hall way, and I see Daddy sleeping with his eyes open.

Why is everyone sleeping with their eyes open?!

0o0o0o0o0o

The big man with hair on his chin takes me outside, and stands there looking at the pretty lights in the sky. "Yer mum and dad are up there, Harry. Me dad's up there too. Dunno bout' my mum, though. Don' know where she is." He says quietly. His voice sounds sad.

I look at the pretty lights in the sky. Mummy and Daddy aren't there, they're in my house, sleeping with their eyes open!

And they can't get that high anyway. They must've borrowed my toy broomstick.

Then a loud noise fills the sky. I don't like it! I'm just about to cry when I see my Uncle Sirius!

"Siri!" I say, because his name is hard.

He looks happy when he sees me. But he looks sad when he looks at the big man with hair on his chin. I know why. The big man with hair on his chin is a bit scary. He seems much much much nicer than The Snakey Guy, though, so I decide to like him.

"Hello, Hagrid. I came as soon as I heard… Lily and James?" He asks.

Lily is Mummy and James is Daddy!

Hagrid shakes his head, which means no. Why is he saying no? Mummy and Daddy are in my house, sleeping with their eyes open.

Uncle Sirius lets out a howl. He sounds very sad, and a lot like the doggy he sometimes turns into.

Daddy could turn into a weird thing with weird things sticking out of its head but Mummy can't turn into anything.

Why is Uncle Sirius crying? Only babies are allowed to cry. And people who put boxes in the ground.

Why are big people crying?

Nothing is sad, except maybe Mummy and Daddy not speaking to me.

That's sad, so I start crying because I want Mummy and Daddy to talk to me. I don't want them to sleep with their eyes open or to be a pretty light in the sky!

"You must give him to me, Hagrid. He's my godson, I'll take care of him." Uncle Siri says.

"No, Dumbledore told me to leave him with the Malfoys."

"What?! You can't leave him there, they're horrible! The way they treated James… called him a blood traitor…"

"I know, but Narcissa was Lily's sister." Hagrid says.

"Fine… If I can't take him, take my motorbike. Maybe that'll come in handy, if I can't look after him."

The big man with hair on his chin gives me to Uncle Sirius.

"Bye, Harry. Remember that I love you as if you were my own son, and your parents will always be with you. I love you so much, little Harry, and I wish I could look after you. G-goodbye, Harry." Uncle Sirius says. He looks like he's going to cry again.

He gives me back to the big man with hair on his chin.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I- I have to go. I'm-I'm sorry." Uncle Sirius looks at me, and with a loud noise he disappears.

"Siri!" I want Uncle Sirius.

Why does everyone I love go away? First Granny, then Grandpa, then Nanna, then Papa, then Daddy, then Tabby The Cat, then Mummy, and now Uncle Sirius.

I hope Uncle Remus and Uncle Peter don't go away, though I don't much like Uncle Peter as much as Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus. I still don't want him to go away though, because I know him.

"Ok, Harry, better be gettin' you to yer aunt and uncle."

The big man with hair on his chin puts me in Uncle Sirius's motorbike and climbs in himself.

Then we fly, up into the sky, towards the pretty lights.

I hope we'll see Mummy and Daddy up here because the big man with hair on his chin said Mummy and Daddy are some of the pretty lights.

I wanna be a pretty light with Mummy and Daddy, too.

 **I actually dreamt this up.**

 **I woke up and scrambled for my notebook so I wouldn't forget it.**

 **Pretty good dream, eh?**

 **Well I actually dreamt that Harry lived with the Malfoys. So I decided to do this story in his P.O.V from the night his parents died.**

 **Review, and I will be very very happy with everyone.**


	2. Chapter 2: Goodbye

The big man with hair on his chin flies across the ocean on Uncle Sirius's big motorbike. Once Mummy and Daddy took me to the ocean and I tried to eat the sand but it tasted weird so I drank some of the ocean water to make the yucky taste go away but the ocean water tasted even weirder. But I didn't mind because Mummy and Daddy gave me ice-cream.

I can see all the pretty lights even better when we're near the ocean. The big man with hair on his chin said that Mummy and Daddy are up with the pretty lights.

The pretty lights don't look like Mummy and Daddy.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

"I heard- Lily and James…" Minerva said, inviting herself into Dumbledore's office and sitting opposite him.

Dumbledore looked at the raven-haired witch, a grave look on his face. He bowed his head.

McGonagall went weak at the knees, and blew her nose loudly.

"But their son survived." Albus Dumbledore said.

"But- how? You-Know-Who has killed countless powerful magical people… how could he not kill this little boy?" McGonagall whispered.

"I do not know, and it doesn't seem as if we will ever know why the curse backfired."

"So it's true then? You-Know-Who is dead?"

"Yes." McGonagall looked extremely happy for a moment, and then remembered the predicament with the Potters.

"But where will the boy go?"

"To his Aunt and Uncle, the Malfoys."

"Dumbledore. We both taught Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy. We can't possibly leave Harry with them!" McGonagall cried after processing the shock of James and Lily's death and the fact that Harry was being left with Slytherins.

"Yes, indeed, we have taught them, Minerva. They are Harry's only living family."

With that Dumbledore offered his arm to Minerva. She took it reluctantly, glaring at him, and the popped away.

Upon landing McGonagall continued the argument. "But you- you CAN'T leave him here! Harry Potter living with Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy? You've never seen two people less alike Lily and James! And their bratty excuse for a son, spoilt little pig he is!" McGonagall cried.

"Actually I thought Draco looked rather more like a ferret, but that is a matter of opinion, I suppose."

"DUMBLEDORE!" The furious witch yelled. "THIS ISN'T THE TIME TO JOKE AROUND!"

At just the right moment, it seemed, a loud revving filled the air, and a massive motorbike with an even more massive man landed in front of the two professors.

"Ah, Hagrid. At last. Where did you get that motorbike?"

Hagrid stepped off the motorbike and stood, carrying a light blue bundle. "Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir. Young Sirius Black lent it to me."

"And your mission succeeded?"

"I got im' here, sir." Hagrid leant down and gave the bundle to Dumbledore, who peered quietly at the sleeping baby boy. McGonagall looked at the baby and gasped as she saw the fresh cut.

"That's- that's where…" McGonagall pointed with shaking hands to the cut on Harry's forehead.

"Indeed, Minerva. He'll have that scar forever."

"Couldn't you do something about it, though?"

"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scar can come in handy. I myself have one above my left knee which is the perfect map of the London Underground."

Dumbledore looked at the bundle in his arms, and started walking towards the Malfoy's house, beckoning for Hagrid and McGonagall to follow him.

"And this is where we leave you, Harry." Dumbledore said, setting the young boy down on the doorstep. Dumbledore put a letter with the Hogwarts crest on the top of the blankets, and stood up, looking down at the sleeping baby.

"Could I- can I say goodbye to im', sir?" Hagrid bent down upon the little boy and gave him a scratchy kiss. McGonagall patted the young child's head and Dumbledore looked at the child.

"We will see him again, when he gets to Hogwarts."

"Well I- I'd best be off, sir. I'll return this to Sirius Black. G'night, Professor Dumbledore sir, g'night, Professor McGonagall." And with that Hagrid jumped on to the motorbike, the loud sound of the engine not quite drowning out his loud wails.

"I shall see you soon, I believe, Minerva. Goodnight."

Dumbledore turned on his heel and disappeared into the night.

McGonagall stared at the young boy, sniffling. After regaining her composure, she too turned on her hill and disappeared.

The stars in the sky twinkled, two particularly bright ones shining down on the sleeping baby.

 **Yeah, I know, this chapter was mostly canon. I assure you that future chapters will likely be very uncanon.**

 **Special thanks to Mystictiger23, Silbern Nox and ashely196 for reviewing. I appreciate the concrit!**

 **Review if you think baby talk is adorable or not!**


	3. Chapter 3: Arrival

"NARCISSA!" Lucius screamed upon opening the front door. He had the shock of his life upon finding a baby on his doorstep.

"Lucius, my- Oh!" Narcissa approached her husband, nearly as shocked as he.

The pair stood and looked down at the small boy on their doorstep. He opened his eyes sleepily, and shut them again, not wanting to be woken.

"I'll take it inside…" Narcissa said.

She lifted the bundle of blankets, and carefully carried the child to the living room, placing him on the couch.

"Ma! Da!" A baby's yells sounded from upstairs.

"I'll go get him…" Lucius said, sighing. He stood, and made his way up the stairs.

Narcissa looked at the stirring baby for a second. The child shifted around in its blankets, and opened its eyes.

Narcissa looked into the startling green for a second, seeing eyes so stunningly familiar. "L-Lily!" she choked. Lucius, coming down the stairs, holding baby Draco in his arms, stopped.

"Cissy-"

"Lily, Lucius! Lily! This is Lily's son!" She cried.

"What?!" Lucius set Draco in his playpen and went over to his wife. "How do you know?"

"His- his eyes… Lily's eyes…"

Lucius looked at the child, and noticed a corner of parchment poking out from under his blankets.

He pulled it out, revealing a letter with the Hogwarts crest embellished on it.

 _Dear Lucius and Narcissa,_

 _Your nephew, Harry James Potter, is now your responsibility. His parents have been killed by none other than Lord Voldemort himself, and as you two are his only magical relatives he is now in your custody._

 _You may not like this, and will probably hex me the next time you see me, but I say this in great seriousness. Harry has had a terrible shock, and needs to be loved as he was loved by his parents. You must treat him well._

 _Harry has also destroyed the Dark Lord. The killing curse, fired by Voldemort, seems to have backfired. You will notice the oddly-shaped scar on Harry's forehead: this is where the curse hit him._

 _Harry has had a rough start to life, and, again, all he needs is a bit of love._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore_

The young couple stared at each other. A long silence followed, broken by Draco.

"Ma! Da! I eat! DOB! Foo!" He yelled, summoning the house elf.

"Yes, Master Draco?" The little elf appeared.

"Dobby, prepare another room. We have a- a visitor. The room next to Draco's shall do, and set another place for a baby at the table." Narcissa said.

Dobby nodded and disappeared with a loud crack.

"What will we do, Lucius?" Narcissa sighed.

Harry was becoming restless and so Narcissa unwrapped him from his blankets and set him in the playpen next to Draco.

Harry reached for a small block and Draco growled at him, snatching the block away. Harry stared at him calmly, and reached for a different block, which Draco also snatched.

Harry eventually gave up trying to play and studied his fingers, letting himself fall backwards and wave his little legs in the air.

Draco snarled at his parents, furious that they would let a stranger play with his toys.


	4. Chapter 4: Adjusting

**Wow. I'm so sorry for the long wait.**

 **Enjoy!**

Harry yawned and rolled over. He hit the side of the forest green cot, and woke up.

Rubbing his eyes blearily, he sat up. He yawned loudly. Harry didn't know how many days it was since he came to Aunt Narcissa, Uncle Lucius and Cousin Draco's. All he knew was that he wanted mummy and daddy back.

"Good morning, young Harry Potter, sir. Dobby shall get you breakfast." Dobby walked into Harry's room.

Harry gave Dobby a big toothy smile. "Dob!"

Dobby smiled. He clicked his fingers and the barrier around the cot went down. Harry stepped out carefully, tottering around on his chubby little legs before falling backwards onto his bottom.

He giggled, and pulled himself up, using the side of the cot for balance.

"Come along, Harry Potter, sir." Dobby took Harry's hand. He led him downstairs to the living room, where Narcissa and Draco were.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Narcissa was drinking tea and reading _Witch Weekly_ and Draco was playing with figurines of famous Quidditch players.

Narcissa put down her tea and magazine when they entered the room. She nodded at Dobby.

"You may go and make breakfast now, Dobby." She said. "Pancakes for Draco and Harry, porridge for me and bacon and eggs for Lucius. Thankyou."

Dobby bowed, and with a pop, left the room.

Harry stared, confused, at the place he was, before tottering over to Draco. He tried to play with one of the figurines, but Draco yowled angrily and snatched them, like he had done every other time Harry had tried to involve himself.

Harry played with some blocks. Draco glared at him, but it seemed that he was learning how to share.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

When Lucius came down for breakfast half an hour later, Harry and Draco had made a block city. The Quidditch figurines were scattered about, forgotten in favour of the blocks.

Narcissa smiled at him.

"Perhaps a brother is just what Draco needs."

Lucius sniffed pompously. He turned on his heel and walked to the dining room. Narcissa sighed.

Lucius never did like her sister very much, and liked her even less when she married James Potter.

He considered her a blood traitor, and perhaps she was, because she married a blood traitor.

That didn't make her any less wonderful.

Narcissa sighed again. She and Lily had their problems, but she was her twin. And Lucius never really could accept that.

Andromeda was considered a blood traitor too, and Petunia was a squib. She and Bellatrix were the two of the five that were considered 'worthy' and so they got most of the inheritance.

Petunia lived as a muggle. Their father kicked her out the minute she became of age.

She was married and living happily now.

Andromeda married a 'mudblood'. She was blasted off the family tree.

Lily married a blood traitor. She was also blasted off the family tree.

Narcissa sighed again.

Why did purebloods have to have such messed-up traditions?


	5. Chapter 5: Pancakes

**I'd like to thank every person who has reviewed, followed or favorited this story so far. Your support means a lot!**

 **I do not own Harry Potter.**

 **Enough of my rambling. Onto the chapter!**

 **Enjoy!**

Draco was confused. Why was there another baby in the house? Draco thought he was the only baby.

And Harry has black hair, which is quite odd, because he thought everyone had white hair. He's never seen a dark-haired person before, especially in his house. The only people who ever visited had white hair.

Except for Aunt Bella, but Draco doesn't like Aunt Bella, so she doesn't count. She has a loud voice and an even louder yell.

Nanna has red hair, though, but Grandpa has white hair too. Draco hasn't seen them for a while.

Draco paused, looking at Harry. He let Harry play with his blocks just this once, because Harry is very good at making towers that don't fall on your head when you try to make them high.

Harry looks at Draco. Draco glares at him, just to let him know that this is still his house, and not Harry's.

Harry gives him a big grin and continues building a tower.

Draco hands him the big green block, but Harry gives it back and places the big red block at the top of the tower instead. Draco growls. They were HIS blocks, this was HIS house, and Harry was NOT allowed to decide which block would go on the top of the tower. It was HIS tower.

Not Harry's.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

Lucius looked at his son and his… nephew… playing together. He looked at his wife, looking happy despite the saddening turn of events.

He heard Dobby whistling from the kitchen while he made breakfast.

And he looked at himself.

At the scowl plastered over his face.

And despite very much disliking the Potter family and their values, he resolved to work on his tolerance towards the dark-haired toddler playing happily in the lounge room.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

Harry liked it here. He missed his Mummy and his Daddy and Uncle Siri and Uncle Remy and Uncle Petey and Tabby the Cat, but Draco was a good playmate.

Aunt Cissa was kind, even though she didn't make him laugh like Mummy did and she didn't tickle his stomach when she changed his nappy. She just wrinkled her nose and pulled a funny face.

Uncle Lucius didn't like him very much. Harry didn't know why, and was confused.

He hadn't done anything wrong. Mummy and Daddy would hug him and kiss him when he cried, but Uncle Lucius would just sniff like he had a cold. And then he would spin around and walk out of the room in a weird way.

Harry liked Dobby, the wrinkly little man who was as tall as he was and who made him pancakes for breakfast.

Mummy didn't let him have pancakes for breakfast. She only made them sometimes on weekends, which was bad, because Harry liked pancakes. She always said "It's not a good start to the day."

Harry didn't really understand what that meant, but when she sometimes let him have pancakes, like on his birthday, she would sing in the kitchen and let him eat some of the batter before it got fried up on the stove.

Daddy would sneak up behind her and scare her, and she would smack him and he would laugh. Then they would (icky) kiss and Harry would squeal to make them stop.

Then they would laugh at him and Daddy would pick him up and Mummy would give him the first pancake when it was ready. Mummy would put a drizzle of maple syrup on it and Daddy would take another pancake and put heaps on it.

Mummy would hit him with the wooden spoon and take it back.

Harry looked down at his pancakes.

Mummy didn't make them and Daddy didn't come into the kitchen and Harry didn't help Mummy make them.

He wasn't to sure he wanted them now.


	6. Chapter 6: Adoption

**Soooo sorry about the long wait.**

 **Enjoy!**

Narcissa walked down the stairs, cringing when she caught the creaky step. She paused, listening for any movement from the boys, but when she heard none, she continued down.

She walked into the living room, where Lucius was sitting with a cup of coffee and a copy of _The Daily Prophet_.

He looked up and smiled at her when she sat opposite to him on the couch.

"Hello, my love. The boys went down alright?" He asked quietly.

"Yes. They were snoring when I left the room." Lucius laughed softly at this.

"Must have something to do with their toy brooms."

Narcissa smiled.

They had recently moved Draco and Harry into a larger room together, as the boys began to get along with each other well.

"Lucius… I was thinking." Narcissa said softly. "We've had Harry for three months now."

"Yes…"

"And he has settled down extremely well." Lucius nodded in agreement.

"Indeed." He said.

"I think we should adopt him into our family."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Sunlight poured into the large, airy room. Two babies were sleeping peacefully, until the dark-haired one began to stir.

He squirmed in his cot. "Mama!" He sat up, shouting.

The fair-haired child sat up in his across the room. "Hare?" he mumbled sleepily.

The dark-haired one blinked. He didn't understand why he woke up feeling so afraid. He stared into space for a couple of moments before breaking into a wide grin.

"Draco!" He shouted happily.

The fair-haired one grumbled. He stood up in his cot. He yelled loudly "Mama we awake!" before flopping back down in his cot.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Narcissa smiled at the two toddlers, before frowning as they splashed water all over her.

"No. Not nice. No splashing."

They giggled, and continued kicking their legs and arms. Narcissa sighed before smiling.

"Time to get out!" She said, scooping Draco up in a fluffy white towel. She set him down on the bathmat and scooped up Harry in an identical towel.

She towelled them both off and dressed them in identical green shirts and blue jeans.

Harry frowned at the itchy fabric and scratched. "Off!" He said impatiently.

"No, Harry. On."

"Off!" Harry said more persistently. "Off off off!" Draco joined in the chant.

"Off off off!" they both yelled. Narcissa sighed at them exasperatedly, before grinning at them.

"Dobby!" she called.

He appeared with a loud crack. "Yes, Mistress Malfoy?"

"The boys do not like my choice of clothes. Could you fetch some more comfortable outfits for them?"

Dobby looked at the two loud toddlers. "Of course, Mistress Malfoy."

"Thank you."

He bowed before disappearing.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Harry and Draco chased each other around the living room, yelling happily.

Narcissa nearly dropped her mug of tea when Lucius joined in.

"What the heck?" She said to herself, setting down her tea. She joined in the wild race.

This game continued for nearly an hour, Draco and Harry squealing, Lucius panting, her laughing.

"Dobby!" She said. He appeared. "Please start dinner. Roast chicken and potatoes. We need to celebrate."

"Celebrate what, Mistress?"

"Harry Potter is now Harry Potter-Malfoy. He has been adopted."

Dobby clapped his hands. "Yay!" He said happily. "I shall go prepare a grand feast for Mistress and Masters!"

He bowed and left.

Narcissa smiled at her family.

Her husband and her two sons.

 **Woooo! Plot twist!**

 **And there's more where that came from.**

 **Prepare for a time skip or two, and get ready for many more surprises!**

 **Byeeeeeeeee!**


	7. Chapter 7: Baby

_~Six years later~_

"Draco! No fair! Mum said we have to share." Harry whined.

Draco stuck out his tongue. "I'm taller!" He stood on the tip of his toes and held the bag of sweets above his head, smirking at his brother.

Harry's lip trembled. He ran out of the playroom.

He came back into the room five minutes later riding on his toy broomstick. He flew straight at Draco. Draco screamed when he saw Harry speeding towards him. He covered his head and the bag of sweets went flying.

Harry swooped and caught it easily. He started pelting the sweets at Draco, who was yelling at Harry furiously, a bright red flush appearing on his pale face.

Harry landed and handed Draco the bag.

"But I'm better at flying." Harry said smugly. Draco pouted. His eyes flickered from his grinning brother to the bag of sweets in his hand, unable to decide between acting tough or eating.

He chose the sweets.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

An hour later, the boys were playing with their Quidditch figurines and debating on which team would win the match they were going to attend next week.

"No way! The Ballycastle Bats are too good, the Chudley Cannons haven't won since 1892!" Draco exclaimed.

"Yeah but _Which Broomstick?_ said that the team is really good this year, so they might have a chance."

"Since when has _Which Broomstick?_ ever actually been correct? They're only good for telling you about the different types of brooms."

"So?"

"Well, if Rita Skeeter told you that Kennilworthy Whisp couldn't fly, would you believe her?"

"Of course not! Mum told me never to believe what she says."

"Exactly! So you can't believe what some article in _Which Broomstick?_ says!"

The boys continued their bickering, sharing the last few sweets in the bag.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Harry? Draco?" Lucius called from the bottom of the stairs.

"Yes dad?" Harry yelled.

"Come downstairs, please." Their father said.

"COMING!" They chorused.

"Race you downstairs, Draco!" Harry said, bounding to his feet.

"Ready… set… GO!" Draco yelled, pushing Harry out of the way.

"Oi! Not fair!" Harry shouted. Jumping up, he ran past his brother, came to the stairs, and slid down the banister.

"Heyyyyyyy! That's not allowed!" Draco complained.

Harry ignored him, pumping his fists and doing a victory dance at the bottom of the stairs.

They walked into the living room and sat on the couch opposite to their parents, who looked a mixture of happy and anxious.

"What's wrong?" Draco asked.

"Yeah, what's wrong?" Harry echoed.

"Boys…" Narcissa began. She paused, and looked up at Lucius. He nodded at her and squeezed her hand. "You're going to be big brothers."

Harry and Draco looked at each other. They shrugged.

"I'm already a big brother." said Draco. "To him." He said, jabbing his thumb at Harry. "Does this mean I'll be a big big brother?"

"Yeah but I'm better at flying!" whined Harry, who brought up the flying fact in every argument he had with his brother.

"Boys. You will both be big brothers. Stop arguing." Lucius said sternly.

The boys looked at each other. "Okay." Harry said, and Draco nodded in agreement.

"Are you excited to have a new baby brother or sister?" Narcissa asked nervously.

"Yeah." They said at the same time.

"Where's the baby?" Harry asked, looking around. "Did you buy it?"

"Yeah, where is it? I want to see it." Draco said loudly.

Narcissa and Lucius laughed. "Boys, you're going to have to wait a couple of months until you can see it." Lucius said.

"Okay… But where is it?" Harry asked.

"In my stomach." Narcissa said.

"Really? I just thought you were getting fat." Draco said, a bit confused.

"Yeah, we thought you ate too much cake." Harry giggled.

Narcissa narrowed her eyes at the seven year olds. "Watch it. Or I'll eat your dessert."

"Noooooo!" They both yelled. They started laughing. "You don't need any more cake!"

Lucius joined in the laughter, and so did Narcissa.

After they calmed down a bit, Harry started looking confused. "Hold on one second!"

"Yes, Harry?"

"How did the baby get in your stomach?" he asked, blinking up at them with big green eyes.

"Yes! Do you eat babies as well?"

Lucius stood up abruptly. Flushing a dark red, he mumbled "I'magocheckonDobby!" in one mouthful. He then ran from the room.

They watched him leave. "Dad!" They whined after him. "Why won't he tell us?" they whined to Narcissa.

She was laughing so much she had to hold on the couch to keep from falling off of it. "No-I haven't eaten a baby!" She spluttered, tears rolling down her face.

"THEN HOW IS IT IN YOUR STOMACH?!" Draco hollered impatiently.

Narcissa also stood up. "I'll tell you when you're older…" And with that, she walked out of the room.

 **I told you to prepare!**

 **Please review, I love hearing what you guys have to say.**

 **Bye!**


	8. Chapter 8: Names

"Harry!" Draco yelled.

"What?" Harry yelled back from his room.

"Come here!"

"Okay!"

Harry bounded out of his bedroom and into Draco's across the hall. "What?"

"Do you think we will have a brother or a sister?" Draco asked.

Harry shrugged. "Dunno."

"I want another brother. We can play Quidditch." Draco said.

"Girls can play Quidditch too!" Harry said indignantly. "Mum used to!"

Draco blinked. "She did? Wow! What was she?"

"I don't know. I found an old record book thingy but I could only read her name and Quidditch. The rest was too hard." Harry said.

Draco raised his eyebrows. "But Dad taught us how to remember words and stuff and you were better than me!"

"I know. Just these words were too hard. The letters were all wriggly."

Draco shrugged. "Anyway, do you think we will have a brother or a sister?"

"I don't mind either, but I would like a sister because I already have a brother." Harry said.

"Okay… but we have to force it to play Quidditch."

"Yeah."

"Hey, what will its name be?"

"Dunno… let's ask Mum and Dad."

They raced downstairs to the living room.

"Muuuuum… what will the baby's name be?" Draco asked loudly.

"Why are you talking so loudly?" Narcissa asked, covering her ears.

"SO THE BABY CAN HEAR US! IT NEEDS TO KNOW ITS NAME!" He shouted, a grin plastered on his face.

Harry grinned. "YEAH, SO WE CAN TALK TO IT AND IT KNOWS IT'S JUST US!"

Lucius came into the room and winced. "Shush!" He said. "We can hear you perfectly, and I'm sure the baby can as well."

Narcissa grinned. "Yes, you two talk loud enough as it is."

"Okay, okay. But what will the baby's name be?" Harry asked.

"We were going to discuss it with you guys before we decided." Narcissa replied.

There was a pause. "Okay?" Draco said, shrugging. "So what's it's name?"

Harry poked Draco. "We have to help them come up with it, Bogey-face!"

"Hey, that's enough." Lucius said warningly.

"Ok."

"Let's brainstorm." Narcissa said.

After about half an hour, they had come up with a list that looked something like this:

 _BOY NAMES  
_

 _Leo_

 _Tyler_

 _Caelum_

 _Atticus_

 _Quinton_

 _Oliver_

 _Harper_

 _James_

 _Hunter_

 _Phoenix_

 _GIRL NAMES_

 _Celeste_

 _Tamara_

 _Laurel_

 _Maisey_

 _Amelie_

 _Ellen_

 _Genevieve_

 _Lily_

 _Leslie_

Harry and Draco hadn't liked most of the names their parents had thought of, but they both agreed that Leo was a great name for a boy. Narcissa and Lucius were happy because they were not breaking the tradition of naming their kids after constellations.

Girls' names, however, puzzled them. The boys had hated all their parents' suggestions, and they decided that if the baby was a girl, they would break the tradition. Harry had thought of Maisey and Draco had thought of Ellen.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

When the small family was satisfied with the list, the boys went to bed and Narcissa and Lucius pondered over the names for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"I like Celeste." Lucius said. "Celeste Maisey."

Narcissa nodded. "Yes. That sounds very nice… But what about Celeste Lily?"

Lucius nodded. "Of course. And Caelum James for a boy? That has a nice ring to it."

"No… Harry might feel weird if the baby had the same middle name as him. He still doesn't know… About Lily and James… so maybe… Leo?"

"Leo… Leo what?"

"I'm not sure. We can come back to that, I suppose." Narcissa said.

Lucius nodded. "Goodnight, my love." He said.

"Goodnight." Narcissa replied, kissing his cheek.


	9. Chapter 9: Glasses

**I am so sorry… I have been super busy lately and time sorta got away from me. I also had a severe case of writer's block… hopefully I did okay on this chapter.**

 **Let me know!**

 **Onto the chapter!**

They had thought and though of names, and were fairly certain what they would call the kids. Celeste Lily if it was a girl, and Leo Orion if it was a boy. Orion after Narcissa's father, Lily after Harry's mother and Narcissa's sister.

Harry and Draco liked the names as well. "If the boy is called Leo then we can pretend he is a lion! Leo the lion!" Harry said excitedly.

"ROOOAAARRR!" Yelled Draco.

They went off to play the game 'Animals'. Draco was a lion, of course, and Harry was an antelope.

"Why an antelope, Harry?" Narcissa asked.

Before Harry could answer, Draco butted in. "So I can be the deadly hunter and Harry is my prey. I'll catch him and… EAT HIM ALL UP!"

Harry stuck out his tongue at his brother. "I'm faster than you any way."

"Oh yeah?" Draco said.

"Yeah." Harry confirmed. Draco frowned.

"Okay. Prove it."

"Okay!" Harry said. "Mum, say ready set go!"

"Ready…"

Harry and Draco lined up.

"Set…" They prepared to run.

"GO!" They took off, and Harry ran straight into a wall. He sat down hard on his bottom.

"Owwwwww!" He cried. "My bum!"

Narcissa rushed over to him. "Are you alright?"

Harry yowled. "MY BUM HURTS!"

Narcissa hugged him. "Dobby!"

"Yes Mistress Malfoy?" Dobby appeared in front of her, looking concerned at Harry.

"Ice pack, please." She said.

"Right away, Mistress." He bowed, before disappearing with a loud crack.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Narcissa looked at her son. "I think you might need glasses."

It would make sense. His father had had glasses, and from what she could recall, his paternal grandparents did too.

Harry blinked at her. "Okay."

Narcissa smiled at him. He was so easy-going. More so than Draco.

"I'll take you to Diagon Alley after lunch. Alright?"

"No. Tomorrow. My bum hurts."

Narcissa frowned. "Bottom."

"Yes, that. Bum." Harry said.

She smiled. "I can fix it for you. _Cicatrix!"_ She brandished her wand.

"It feels better! We can go now!" Harry said happily. "Mum can my glasses be red?"

Narcissa grinned. "Of course they can." She turned to the stairs. "DRACO!"

"Comingggggggg!" He yelled back, drawling out the 'ing'.

He bounded down the stairs. "What? Is Harry's bum better?"

"Bottom." Narcissa said again.

"Okay, buttocks then. So? Is it? Can we play again?"

"No. Well, later, but we're going to go to Diagon Alley to get Harry's eyes tested. That wall was right in front of him."

"Yeah, okay. Can I come?" He asked. Harry grinned at him.

"Yes, of course. I'lll get Dobby to make us some sandwiches and then we'll go."

"Okay!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Mum!" Draco yelled, pointing at the Quality Quidditch Supplies window. "Mum, look!"

"Yes, Draco?"

"Oh, wow!" Harry yelled, looking to where Draco was pointing and running over to the window.

"There are walking figurines of all the Quidditch players! And their brooms!"

"You already own some of them." Narcissa said.

"Yeah, but not all of them!" Draco yelled.

"Yeah, only some of them! And we don't have their broomsticks." Harry said.

"We can look at them, but we aren't buying them."

"Awwww!" Harry and Draco whined simultaneously.

"Shush. If you're good, after Harry's appointment we can stop for ice-creams. Only if you're good." Narcissa said.

"Okay." Draco said quickly. Harry nodded.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Mum I want those glasses!" Harry said, pointing at a pair of glasses with vivid red frames.

"No, Harry, look at these green ones!" Draco exclaimed.

"Or these blue ones!"

"No! The orange ones!"

Narcissa winced at the bright (and, frankly, ugly) glasses her sons were looking at. She picked up a pair of simple black glasses and gave them to Harry to try on.

"Try these." She said. Harry put them on.

"Harry they look good!" Draco said.

He looked at himself in the mirror. "Yes. I like them."

He frowned. "But I thought glasses were meant to make you see better. I still can't see."

Narcissa laughed. "Harry, sweetie, these aren't proper glasses. They have fake glass so you can see what you look like in them."

Harry frowned again. "That seems kinda stupid. We're here to get glasses. How is anyone meant to see what they look like in the glasses if they aren't proper glasses?"

"Huh?" Draco said, confused.

"If they are only made of fake glass then how on earth is anyone who needs help seeing things meant to see what they look like in them?"

"Oh. Okay. You mean that if you need glasses you can't see what you look like in the fake glasses cos' you need proper glasses." Draco nodded.

"Yeah. Exactly."

Narcissa almost fell over laughing. "You two are some strange kids, you know that?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o

When Lucius came home from a long day at the Ministry, the last thing he expected was two loud yells of "DAD!"

He jumped. "Good evening to you too." He said, smiling at his sons.

He then got a proper look at Harry. "…Harry?"

"Yes Dad?"

"You're wearing glasses."

"Um, yeah. I am wearing glasses."

Narcissa came into the front hall and gave Lucius a hug. "He ran straight into the wall, so after lunch we all went to Diagon Alley and Harry got his eyes tested."

"Yeah! He fell straight on his bum!" Draco laughed.

Lucius frowned at the language. "Bottom." Harry and Draco rolled their eyes.

"Why does everyone keep copying us, Draco?"

"I know!"

Lucius raised an eyebrow and looked at Narcissa with a very confused look on his face.

She sighed. "Don't even ask."


	10. Chapter 10: Surprise

As time passed, Narcissa's baby bump got larger and larger. When she got to the fifth month, she and Lucius went to St Mungo's to have them check up on her.

"Mr and Mrs Malfoy, Healer Halliday will see you now." The desk lady said to them.

They stood up. Lucius nodded to the desk lady and they walked up to the healer.

"Hello, Mrs and Mr Malfoy. Please come in."

Narcissa and Lucius followed her into a hospital room.

"So, you are in the second trimester, correct?" The healer asked Narcissa.

"Yes. Fifth month." Narcissa said.

"Alright. I'm going to need you to lay down here." Healer Halliday gestured to a hospital bed.

She performed a series of tests to ensure the baby's health.

"Well, you guys have two very healthy babies."

Narcissa smiled and then her smile turned into a frown. "…wait. Two babies?"

She glanced at Lucius, who looked just as excited as she felt.

The healer smiled. "Yes." She said. "You have twins! A girl and a boy."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Harry and Draco were reading Quidditch magazines while Dobby prepared dinner in the kitchen.

"Harry, do you think Dad will take us to the Tornadoes' game in two weeks?" Draco asked, scratching his head.

Harry looked up from _Which Broomstick?_ "I don't know. Maybe. I hope so. We can ask him when they get back."

Draco nodded thoughtfully. "Hey! Do you think they know if the baby is a girl or a boy yet?"

"I wonder. I want a baby brother!" Harry exclaimed.

"Yeah? Well, I want a baby sister." Draco frowned.

"Whatever, I just want siblings to play Quidditch with. The more the merrier, like Mum always says."

Draco nodded. "Yeah. Dad hardly ever plays with us and Mum can't cos she's pregnant."

"And it's boring with only one other player!" Harry giggled. Draco stuck out his tongue.

"Tell me about it!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Dobbyyyyyy, when are Mum and Dad getting home?" Draco whined.

"Yeah, we want to know if we have a sister or a brother."

"Dobby thinks they will get home soon. Mistress Narcissa told Dobby that they would be back before dinner."

"Okay. What's for dinner?" Harry asked, sniffing the air. "Cos' whatever it is it smells really yum."

"Dobby has prepared a lamb pie." Dobby said.

"Yummy!" Harry and Draco both exclaimed.

They went back to reading.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Hello! We're back!" Narcissa exclaimed happily.

She and Lucius walked into the lounge room, both beaming.

"Mum!" Harry yelled.

"Dad!" Shouted Draco. They both jumped up.

"Is it a girl or a boy?" Harry demanded.

Lucius and Narcissa shared a sideways glance. "There is twins!"

"What?" Draco said.

"You will have a brother and a sister, guys!"

 **Hello.**

 **It'll be a couple more chapters before the arrival of the twins.**

 **Do you like the twist?**

 **Do you like the chapter?**

 **I apologise for another short chapter.**

 **And the space of time of which I last updated.**

 **I haven't had a lot of time to write lately but soon it'll be school holidays and hopefully I'll have a bit more time to write.**

 **Anyways, be sure to review or PM me! I want to know how the twist turned out!**


	11. Chapter 11: Library

**Alrighty. Maybe I won't have as much time to write as I thought… I promise I'll try to get as much done as I can.**

 **The school holidays are officially here! Bet you they'll just pass! Like they do every time!**

 **Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter.**

"Mum. I'm bored!" Harry whined.

"Why don't you go draw something?" Narcissa said, used to the usual cold-weather whining.

"No." Harry said. "I don't feel like drawing."

"Very well. Why don't you go play some Quidditch with Draco?" Narcissa suggested.

"We've played heaps of Quidditch already. And it's no fun with just the two of us."

"Alright then, why don't you go visit Dobby in the kitchens? If you ask nicely I'm sure he'll help you bake something."

Harry's face lit up for a second before he resumed a pout.

"No thanks Mum."

"Okay. Go to the library!"

Harry grinned. " _Great_ idea! I'll go read about… guess."

Narcissa pretended to think for a moment. "Quidditch."

"No."

"Quidditch players."

"No."

"Quidditch teams."

"No."

"Okay, I give up. What?"

"HOGWARTS! And _Marvin._ "

"Of course! Why didn't I think of that?" Narcissa smiled, hand resting on her swollen belly. "Okay, sweets. Have fun."

Harry ran off.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

The small boy settled into a soft chair with a small stack of books resting in his lap. His feet were a good metre of the ground.

When things ever got to loud, he would usually retreat to the Malfoy's library to find some form of literature to lose himself in.

Draco liked books, yes, but generally they were Quidditch facts and he wasn't a big fan. He preferred to play the sport.

Harry, on the other hand, was a bookworm.

He grabbed a book called _Marvin the Mad Muggle_ and soon was immersed in the story.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Draco hummed. He threw a pillow across the room for no particular reason.

He was bored.

Harry was in the library, he knew.

He decided to go find his mum. When he got to the stairs, he slid down the banister.

"Mum!"

"Hi, Drakey."

"Hello."

"Are you bored as well?" Narcissa asked.

Draco groaned. "Beyond belief."

Narcissa laughed.

He looked at the grey, drizzling sky outside. "Why's it got to rain _all_ the time? I'm sick of all this wet weather!"

Narcissa stroked his hair. "Why don't you go read?"

"No."

"Not even _Marvin the Mad Muggle?_ "

"Nope. I'm sick of Marvin and his silly tricks and stuff. He's annoying now." Narcissa chuckled.

"Okay, sweetie."

Draco frowned. "I also need to ask something else."

"Ask away, Draco. Anything."

Draco frowned. "I was wondering…"

"Yes?"

"Why doesn't Harry have blonde hair and blue eyes like everyone else?"

Narcissa felt her stomach drop. She should have known one of her sons would eventually wonder. Especially around this age, they were both incredibly inquisitive and too clever for their own good.

"Mum?"

She sighed.

"Harry's adopted, isn't he?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o

Harry was up to his third _Marvin_ novel when Dobby appeared next to him with the usual loud pop.

"Hi Dobby!" He said cheerily.

"Hello, Master Harry. Master Harry's parents have requested to see him in the dining room."

Harry put a bookmark in his book. "Okay!"

He grabbed Dobby's arm and they disappeared with an echoing crack.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

They appeared at the table where Harry's parents and Draco were seated at the table. Dobby bowed and left the room, appearing only to put a teapot and a plate of biscuits on the table.

Harry grinned at his family before sitting down.

"Hi, Dad. How was work?"

"Very good, Harry, thank you."

Narcissa smiled at him. Harry noticed she looked a little more nervous than usual.

"What's wrong, Mum?"

"Oh, nothing, darling."

Draco turned to her and raised his eyebrows.

She sighed. Lucius faced Harry.

"Actually, Harry, there's something we need to tell you."

Harry held up a hand.

"Whatever it is, I love you, kay? Even though you aren't my bi- bio- biological Mum and Dad."

They both blinked. "How-"

"I've known for quite a while. I sorta figured it out."

Narcissa, Lucius and Draco all shared the same look of surprise. The table was silent for a moment.

"I'm quite smart, you know. And I read a lot of books."

"So you aren't mad with us?" Narcissa said cautiously.

"Why would I be mad? You guys are my parents. Just no my bio-log-ic-al," Harry carefully sounded out the word "parents."

The rest of the family breathed a sigh of relief.

"You had absolutely no reason to be nervous."

0o0o0o0o0o0o

Narcissa and Lucius sat in the lounge room sipping mugs of hot chocolate. They were both deep in thought.

"How did our son get so wise, Cissa?"

"Oh Lucius. I believe it to be the books."

He nodded. "He spends most of his time in the library, doesn't he?"

"Yes."

"I wonder what house he'll be in."

"I've been wondering that as well. I remember Lily telling me once that James's grandmother was a Ravenclaw."

"Hmm. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see." 

They fell back into contented silence, watching the fire, listening to the relaxing sound of the crackling flames.

"Draco doesn't seem to care at all. I mean, he _cares,_ obviously, but he doesn't seem- oh, I mean…"

Lucius cut her off with a gentle kiss. "I know what you mean."

And they fell into silence once more.

 **I really enjoyed writing this chapter! Tell me what you think. Please. Reviews. PLEASE.**

 **I'm also debating on which house Harry will be in. I need some help on deciding to stick with the canon Gryffindor or go Ravenclaw or Slytherin. I'm leaning towards Gryffindor, but maybe you guys could vote or something?**

 **I tried not to make it so short, but that's the way it turned out. I promise to try to write longer chapters.**

 **Anyway, no-one really likes fluff that's twenty pages long, and quality over quantity, right?**

 **Well, I hope that's the case. Review! Let me know!**

 **Alright! Bye!**


	12. Chapter 12: School

**Okay. Yeah. I know. I haven't updated nearly as much as I intended to and the reason for that is:**

 **I'm just lazy and couldn't be bothered.**

 **I do apologise** **.**

 **Anyway, enjoy the chapter and review please! PLEASE!**

Shortly after Narcissa and Lucius found out they were having twins, they decided to enrol the boys in a pre-school that was run in Hogsmeade every week from Monday to Friday. There they would learn the basics of magical history and the things that muggle children learned when they went to pre-school: how to read and write.

Traditionally, pure-blood children would be home-schooled either by their parents or a nanny. That is what they had done initially; both seven year olds could read and write and do mathematics.

When Narcissa and Lucius believed there to be only one baby, they were going to continue home-schooling Draco and Harry. But after finding out it was twins they decided that they should enrol them in this little school that many magical children attended. Four children would be way too many to handle on a day to day basis.

The school was for kids aged six to ten, and was for all pre-Hogwarts kids. Harry and Draco already knew what their age group would be learning, but it was also to develop their social skills as they rarely saw anybody their own age apart from each other, of course, and Lucius and Narcissa knew that when not one but two babies came along, it would be hard on both the boys.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

Harry and Draco clung tightly to Narcissa, wearing brand-new backpacks.

"Mum! We don't want to go!" Draco yelled.

"Yeah, please don't leave us!" Harry cried.

Narcissa hugged them both tightly.

"There. That was an extra special hug."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Because the twins hugged you both as well. They were in the cuddle too." She said, smiling.

"Yeah, okay, but we still really don't want to go! We are fine learning at home! We have a whole massive library!" Draco said, fuming.

"There are certain things your father and I can't teach you." Narcissa said.

"Like what?" Harry asked.

"Like teaching you how to get along with children other than yourselves."

Taking advantage of their bewildered silence, she pushed them through the door and hurried off to speak to the teacher.

0o0o0o0o0o

"Harry…" Draco whispered.

"Yes?" Harry whispered back.

"They're all looking at your scar."

"I know…"

The boys didn't know that Harry was famous. Their parents had disposed of all the books containing his name as soon as their sons learned to read.

They had explained how Harry's biological parents had died about a week after he figured out he was adopted, and they told him about Voldemort.

They just didn't know that he was famous.

"Kids!" A tall lady with a kind face walked out from her office. "We have some new students today. This is Harry and Draco."

She went over to the two boys and took their hands. "I'm Mrs Peters. Now, you two need a place to put your coats. Ron, would you please show Draco and Harry where we hang our bags and coats?"

A red-headed boy about their age bounded over to them. "Hello. I'm Ron Weasley." He grinned at them. "I'm eight. How old are you?"

"We are seven." Draco said.

"Nice to meet you. Come on! I'll show you where to put your stuff!" He showed them into the entrance room, and gestured to a line of hooks with bags hanging on them, coats hanging on an adjacent wall.

"Here. Put your bags on a hook and put your coats on the hook opposite your bags."

They did as they were told.

When they went back into the room, Mrs Peters turned back to them.

"You two can sit on Ron, Lavender and Ernie's table." She pointed to it, where a boy with blonde hair and a girl with brown pigtails sat. Mrs Peters ran off to break up a ruckus between to big boys at the other end of the room, leaving Harry and Draco to their table group. 

"Hello." Lavender said to them shyly as they sat down.

"Hi." Harry replied. Draco nodded to her.

Ernie greeted them as well. "Ah- excuse me, but are you Harry Potter?" He asked.

Harry shook his head. "No. I'm Harry Potter-Malfoy."

Ernie nodded. "So they adopted you then?"

Draco nodded. "Yes, we did, when we were toddlers. We don't remember though."

Ernie didn't have another chance to say anything else because Mrs Peters joined the group again.

"Gregory and Vincent, if I see any more foolish fighting between either of you there will be big, big trouble. Am I understood?" The two boys nodded sheepishly.

"Good. Now, this is very new to Draco and Harry because before they came here their parents taught them at home. Right, boys?" They nodded. "And since they have never been to school before I'm going to select two buddies to show them around."

She looked around the room at all the waving hands. "Let's see. Pansy and Ron have the most behaviour stars this week, so Pansy, you can be Draco's buddy, and Ron, you can be Harry's buddy.'

There were various disappointed groans. "Enough of that! Especially you, Vincent." Vincent poked his tongue at her back when she looked away.

"Okay then! Today we will be continuing with practicing our handwriting. Hannah, can you show us on the blackboard how to write your name in cursive?"

Hannah ran happily up to the blackboard, blonde ponytail swinging behind her.

"Very nice."

0o0o0o0o0o0o

After two hours of lessons, it was snack time. The kids in Mrs Peters' class ran to their bags.

Harry and Draco grabbed their lunchboxes and ran outside to sit with Ron.

They were surprised to see older-looking and some younger-looking kids running around the playground.

"Ron, why are there so many other kids?" Harry asked.

Ron looked confused for a second, and then he followed Harry's gaze. 

"Oh! Mrs Peters isn't the only teacher. There are two other classes, Mr Lang's class and Miss T's class. Miss T teaches the six year olds and Mr Lang teaches the nine and ten year olds. Mrs Peters teaches the seven and eight year olds."

"Why do you call her Miss T?" Harry asked.

"The little kids can't say her name cos' it's so long, so they call her Miss T so everybody else does as well."

Harry nodded in understanding. Draco looked fascinated.

"There's so many kids." He said in wonder.

Ron laughed. "Lots of them are my siblings! Fred, George and Percy are in Mr Lang's class. Fred and George are nine and Percy is ten. My little sister Ginny is in Miss T's class. She's six."

Harry and Draco stared at him, eyes wide. "You have so many kids in your family!" Harry exclaimed.

"That's not all of them!" Ron said happily. "Bill and Charlie are in Hogwarts already! Charlie is eleven and he's in first year and Bill is thirteen and he's in third year."

Draco's jaw fell open.

"We only have each other right now!" Harry said. "Except soon we'll have a baby sister and a baby brother in about three months because Mum's pregnant."

"Cool!" Ron said. "I don't really remember when Ginny was a baby."

Ginny just happened to be walking past with a small girl with long blonde hair.

"Ron! Did you say my name?" she ran up to him and gave him a hug.

"Ginny! Get off. Hi Luna."

"Hello Ron. Who are these boys?" She said in a soft voice.

"Ginny and Luna, meet Harry and Draco. Harry and Draco, meet Ginny and Luna."

0o0o0o0o0o0o

"So how was school, guys?" Narcissa asked as she came to take them home.

They both burst into enormous grins. "It was awesome! We made lots of new friends and Mrs Peters is so nice." Harry said happily.

"What are your friends' names?" She asked them.

"Well, we have some of the same friends but at lunchtime we ate played with different people but at recess we didn't." Draco said.

Narcissa was both pleased ad surprised that they didn't stick with each other the whole day.

"Well, that's very good. I'm glad you two didn't just talk to each other. I'm very proud that you both made new friends!"

Harry smiled. "My friends are Ron, Ginny, Luna, Seamus and Lavender." He said.

"And my friends are Ron as well, Vincent, Gregory, Pansy and Blaise." Draco added.

Narcissa was surprised as she recognised most of those names as the children of people she and Lucius knew.

"Well, I'm very glad you both have friends. Let's go home!"

 **I'm very excited for this chapter! I'm not quite sure if I got the ages completely correct, but I do know that Ron is a year or so older than Harry, so I just estimated from there.**

 **Hope you guys enjoy it! Review and let me know!**


	13. Chapter 13: The Burrow

"Young Master Harry, it is time to wake up for school." Dobby said, poking Harry in the cheek.

Harry opened his eyes and nearly fell out of his bed. "Gaaaahhhh!" He yelped in shock.

Dobby looked at him with big, concerned eyes. "Is Master Harry alright?"

"I'm fine, Dobby, thank you… but don't do that! It's scary!"

Dobby bowed. "Dobby is sorry. Breakfast is ready when Master Harry is ready."

"Thanks, Dobby…"

Dobby bowed once more and left the room with a pop.

Harry dressed and tried to de-tangle his hair before going downstairs for breakfast.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Okay boys, I'll see you after school, okay?" Narcissa said.

"Okay Mum. Bye!"

Narcissa kissed them both on the head before slowly walking out of the door.

"Come on Draco! Let's go." Harry ran inside the classroom and greeted Ron with a big grin. Draco yawned before reluctantly following his brother.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Okay, everybody, I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight!" their teacher said, waving. Everybody jumped to their feet and pushed each other as they ran to the room.

"Hey! Draco! Ow!" Lavender whined as she fell on her butt.

"No pushing!"

"Okay, Miss!" Ron yelled, as he shoved Fred.

Harry and Draco grabbed their bags and looked around for their mother. Instead of seeing Narcissa, Ron's mum, Mrs Weasley, hurried over to them.

"Hello!"

"Hi, Mrs Weasley." Harry said, grinning. Draco waved.

"Do you know where our mum is?" Draco asked, pointedly looking around the room.

"Yes, well, you two are going to have a sleepover with Ron! You'll have to stay with us for a couple of days." Mrs Weasley said.

"Why?" Draco asked.

Harry cut him off, looking very excited. "Is-are the babies coming?"

Draco's jaw dropped open as he thought of that possibility.

Mrs Weasley smiled, eyes twinkling. "Yes, your parents are at the hospital. Your father sent me an owl."

"What about Dobby?"

"He's preparing their nursery."

Ron and Ginny ran over to them. "Mum! Can we go home now? Please? I'm hungry!" Ron whined.

"Yes, Ron, I just have to go speak to the teacher for a quick moment. I'll be right back."

Ron looked at Draco and Harry. "Why're you still here? Aren't you gone yet?"

"Obviously not, Ron." Draco said.

"Yeah, _Ronald._ Can't you see them?" Ginny said mockingly to her brother.

"Guess what guess what guess what?!" Harry yelled excitedly.

"What what what?" Ron yelled back.

"We're staying at your house!"

"Why?"

"The babies are gonna be here soon!" Draco cut in.

"Cool!"

Before they could talk anymore, Mrs Weasley hurried over to them. "Time to go, kids! Fred! George! Stop that right now! You should know better! No! Don't you roll your eyes at me, Frederick Arthur Weasley! Or you, George! Get here right now!" Mrs Weasley yelled. She rushed over to them.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Ten minutes or so later, they were standing in the Weasleys' living room.

"Okay then! You two have been here before, so you know where everything is, yes?" they both nodded, and she smiled and continued. "Right well, you all go off and play and I'll make us all a snack. Off you go!"

The Weasley kids all scattered, George yelling "QUIDDITCH!"

"Yay!" Ginny shrieked. "I dibs seeker!" She yelled. Harry and Draco cautiously followed, shy all of a sudden.

Ginny ran back into the room and waved her hands furiously. "Come on!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Cissa?"

"DON'T EVEN TALK TO ME, LUCIUS MALFOY! I WENT THROUGH THIS ONCE BEFORE AND NOW I HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN! _TWICE!"_ Narcissa yelled at him.

"Ouch… Cissy… my hand…"

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY? OUCH? OH, I'LL GIVE YOU OUCH, YOU-"

She then proceded to say some very, _very_ nasty things that are not to be repeated anywhere, for any reason apart from childbirth.

"Sorry…" Lucius winced as she squeezed his hand even tighter.

He beckoned to the mediwitch. "Do you think, perhaps, we could have something for the contractions…"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, but she's too far in. I could give you something for your hand, though…"

Lucius nodded, and yelled when Narcissa slapped him. "IF I HAVE TO ENDURE THIS PAIN, LUCIUS MALFOY, YOU HAVE TO ENDURE PAIN TOO!"

Lucius groaned, and looked to the mediwitch pleadingly for help. 

"Sorry. Never disobey a woman in labour."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Here. You can use Bill's broom and you can use Charlie's broom."

Harry swung his leg over the broom. "So-Quidditch?" He asked.

"Yep." Fred nodded. "Which position do you play?"

"Well… Draco and I normally just toss the Quaffle around while airbourne. So I guess chaser?"

George grinned. "Cool. Harry can be on my team with Ginny and Draco can be on Fred's team with Ron."

"What about Percy?" Draco asked.

"Percy doesn't like Qudditch. He likes to _study._ For preparation for _Hogwarts."_ Fred said mockingly.

"Who'll be ref?" Ron asked.

"Eh, nobody. Who needs a ref anyways?" George shrugged, Fred nodding in agreement.

"Okay." Ron shrugged.

Ginny rolled her eyes impatiently. "Come on! Let's play Quidditch!"

0o0o0o0o0o

"LUCIUS MALFOY I SWEAR TO GOD WHEN THIS IS OVER YOU WILL BE SORRY!" Narcissa screamed at Lucius, who was cowering and looking terrified.

"Sorry, Cissy…"

"THAT'S BLOODY RIGHT! YOU WILL BE SORRY!"

He frantically looked around the room for help.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

After an hour of Quidditch, they finally retreated inside as it was getting dark and cold.

Mrs Weasley was bustling around the kitchen. A delicious aroma of shepard's pie filled the whole house.

"Yum!" Draco said.

"What's for dinner, Mrs Weasley?"

"Shepard's pie and roast potatoes. All of you go wash up and by the time you're back it'll be time to eat!"

She looked at the clock. "Oh good, Arthur will be home soon."

As if on cue, a knock sounded at the door.

"Ginny, sweetie, let your father in, will you?"

"Yes Mum!" She skipped over to the door and unlocked it.

"Gin!" Arthur Weasley said, picking her up and spinning her around. "How was your day?"

He set her down and went into the kitchen. "How are you, Molly?"

He pecked her on the cheek and she smiled. "How are you? Oh, and we have some guests staying the night."

"Really? And which guests are these?"

He spotted Harry and Draco standing shyly in the kitchen doorway.

"Hello, Mr Weasley." Harry waved.

"Hello guys!"

"Of you go! Wash up for dinner now. Ron! Show them the bathroom, please."

She swatted them out of the room.

"Narcissa Malfoy has gone into labour."

"Oh, how wonderful! The boys'll be staying for a couple of days, then?"

"Yes, Lucius owled me earlier today, he asked us to look after them until Narcissa is right to go home. They'll owl us later when the babies are born."

"Okay. Wow, been a while since we've seen any babies, hasn't it, Mollywobbles?" Artur cheekily nudged her arm.

"Oh, do shut up." She said, grinning. "Go wash up for dinner, you."

 **I've been excited to write this chapter when I first came up with the whole pregnancy thing!**

 **Hope you enjoyed reading it!**

 **Review! Please! I really like reviews! I'm not desperate at all!**

 **Bye!**


	14. Chapter 14: Birth

"LUCIUS MALFOY, IN THE NAME OF MERLIN-AAAAAHHH"

Lucius winced again as Narcissa squeezed the life out of his poor hand. She'd been in labour for about four hours.

"Cissy, shh, it's okay, Cissy…"

"YOU SHUT UP RIGHT NOW LUCIUS MALFOY! YOU'RE NOT THE ONE SQUEEZING TWO VERY LARGE TINY HUMANS OUT OF YOUR-"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"This is lovely, Mrs Weasley, thank you." Harry said politely as he finished his second piece of shepard's pie.

"Any more, Harry dear? What about you, Draco, another potato, dear?'

"No thank you Mrs Weasley." Draco said. "I'm so full!"

"It was very yummy." Harry said. His brother nodded in agreement.

"Mum, what's for dessert?" Ron asked with his mouth full.

"Ron! Manners." Mrs Weasley reprimanded him. "Dessert is chocolate cake."

"Yummy!" Ginny giggled.

Mr Weasley smiled at his flame-headed daughter.

"Hey kids, what do you say we have a chess tournament after dessert?"

"Yeah!" Yelled Ron and Ginny.

"Nah." George said.

"We're gonna go to our room, right Gred?"

"Right, Forge."

Percy sighed loudly. "No dessert for me, thank you, Mother. I need to go-"

"What? _Study?"_ Fred jeered.

Percy rolled his eyes. "It's a far better use of my time than blowing stuff up or setting your sister's doll on fire."

Draco snorted into his plate and Harry did his best to conceal his giggles.

Mrs Weasley glared at Fred, George and Percy and said "Okay, Perce. Just stop teasing your brothers. And Fred, George, same goes for you."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Do you-ow-do you have _any_ idea on when they'll be born?" Lucius pleaded the midwife.

"I'd say about an hour or thereabouts, it's quite hard to tell." She said.

Narcissa swore. "Never… again." She said through gritted teeth.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Okay, bedtime, Harry, Draco, Ron and Ginny."

They all simultaneously pouted, Harry and Draco having settled down.

"But mum! We're older than Ginny! We should stay up later!" Ron whined, the other two nodding in agreement.

"No. Bed." Mrs Weasley insisted. The boys all gave her pleading looks while Ginny yawned, not even complaining. Mrs Weasley sighed. "…Fine. Ten minutes. I'll tuck Ginny in and when I come back it's bedtime, no excuses or complaints."

The three of them nodded in agreement.

"C'mon, we have time for another game of chess!"

Mr Weasley came into the room after putting all the dishes away. "What's this I hear about more chess?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o

True to her word, Mrs Weasley came back ten minutes later. "Alright boys, it's time for bed. Arthur, Ginny wants you to go kiss her goodnight."

"Right-o, Molly, darling." He kissed her on the cheek as he headed upstairs.

"Okay, off you go! Get into your jammies, I'll tuck you in in five minutes. And remember, just because it's a sleepover _does not_ mean you can stay up all night talking. There's still school tomorrow, don't forget."

They all nodded.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Mrs Weasley went to check on them five minutes later, and chuckled softly to find Harry and Ron already snoring. Draco, however, was still awake.

"You alright, dear?"

He sniffled. "Is Mum going to be okay?"

"Of course she is, sweetie."

"How do you know?" Draco asked softly.

Mrs Weasley resisted the temptation to laugh. She'd given birth seven times, and all her children had turned out fine. No problems except for general insanity (Gred and Forge) but apart from that, they were normal.

But she knew that every child has different fears and so she gave Draco a hug.

"Listen, dear, your father promised me that he would send an owl when the babies are born, and you can visit them when the midwife says it's okay."

"Will you come and wake me and Harry up when the owl is here? Please?"

"Of course, sweetheart."

"Thank you. Goodnight, Mrs Weasley." He whispered drowsily.

"Goodnight, Draco." She gave him a hug and tucked the covers around him.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"The boys settled down alright, then?" Artur asked when she came downstairs. He handed her a steaming mug of tea.

She accepted it gratefully. "Yes, I think so. Draco was a little worried about his mum, sweet darling, but I think he's okay now."

Arthur nodded. "I can't believe how different Lucius and Narcissa are upon adopting Harry."

Molly nodded. "I know!" They had become quite good friends when their kids became friends in school.

"Honestly, I was surprised when Rita Skeeter was yapping about it at work, you know, that Harry had been left with them. Didn't believe her at first, but Ludo Bagman told us it was true."

Molly nodded. "Goodness, Ronnie was only a bub then! Just two! And Ginny wasn't even born. Wow, it seems so long ago and like yesterday at the same time."

Arthur grinned. "I know. Still can't believe Bill's a teenager now."

0o0o0o0o0o0o

A loud wailing filled the hospital room, and Narcissa smiled as she held her newborn to her chest.

"He's beautiful." Narcissa breathed. The mediwitch carried their daughter to Lucius, who had been born ten minutes after her brother. Her loud yells led them to think that she was saying "Just because I'm younger doesn't mean I'm quieter!"

Lucius blinked back tears of joy as he gazed down at the newborn in his arms. She had bright blue eyes and a slight fuzz of blonde hair on her head.

To their surprise, their son had bright green eyes like Lily. He had the blonde hair, though.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Molly and Arthur were still sitting at the kitchen table laughing over a plate of biscuits, remembering their school days.

"You remember old Professor Binns?" Arthur asked.

"How could I forget? Actually, it'd be quite easy to… but not after you accidentally set your textbook on fire that one time, remember?"

"Haha, I do! And he just said 'Mr Wiggins, put that fire out.' and continued his droning."

They both laughed. They were chatting about everything when the scratching at the window started.

"Arthur-it's their owl!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o

 _Dear Molly and Arthur,_

 _Thanks again for having the boys._

 _The twins have arrived, healthy and happy._

 _Leo Orion Malfoy, born 10:04 pm, and Celeste Lily Malfoy, born 10:14 pm._

 _If you could have the boys for another night we would greatly appreciate it, the midwife needs to run tests on the twins and Narcissa and we're not sure how long that'll take._

 _Thank you again, and we'll owl you when we have any further details._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy_

Molly clapped her hands. "Oh, how wonderful!"

Arthur smiled. "I suppose we should owl them back."

Molly accioed parchment and a quill and scrawled a hasty reply.

 _Dearest Lucius and Narcissa,_

 _How wonderful!_

 _We can have the boys for as long as you need us to. Do you need us to send anything or collect something?_

 _Congratulations o the birth of the twins, Narcissa, I'm sure you did a wonderful job._

 _Lucius, we hope your hand doesn't hurt too much._

 _Yours truly,_

 _Arthur and Molly Weasley_

 **They're here! The twins are here!**

 **I loved writing this chapter, it's just ten pages of fluff**

 **Hope you guys enjoy it!**

 **Review!**

 **Oh, and I'm sorry about the delay last chapter. Something went wrong with doc manager and I had to email them and wait for it to be fixed, but it's all good now, and it only took a day!**

 **Bye! I really must go to bed now, I have school. Crap.**

 **REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW**


	15. Chapter 15: Twins

The next morning, the boys trudged downstairs, yawning widely. Molly was in the kitchen frying bacon and Mr Weasley was setting the table, large grins over their faces.

"Morning, mum." Ron yawned.

Mrs Weasley hugged him. "Good morning! Sit down, everyone."

They sat. Mr Weasley handed them cutlery and put some pancakes on their plates.

When everyone had been seated, Mrs Weasley cleared her throat.

"I've got some excellent new, Harry and Draco."

The two shared an excited glance.

"You are now big brothers!"

"WOOHOO!" They jumped up and hugged Mrs Weasley.

"What are their names?" Draco cried.

"Celeste and Leo. Your parents said that you can visit them later today."

Ginny clapped her hands. "Can I come? Please?"

"Ginny, we'll let the boys go this time, okay?"

Ginny pouted. Harry walked over to her and gave her a big bear hug.

"Don't worry Gin, you can come next time."

Ginny smiled. "Thank you, Harry!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Now, I'll take you to the hospital, okay, and Mr Weasley will pick you up, okay?"

The two nodded.

"Alright. Do you know how to use Floo Powder?"

"Yes, once we visited Mum's friend." Draco said.

"Okay, well, Draco, you go first, and stay right where you are until I'm there, okay? Harry, you go after Draco, and the same rule applies to you."

Draco took a handful of Floo Powder from the bag Mrs Weasley offered him.

He stepped up to the fireplace.

"St Mungo's!" He said loudly. The flames went green and he disappeared.

"Harry, your turn."

"ST MUNGO'S!" Harry yelled. He too disappeared.

0o0o0o0o00o0o

Draco fell face-first out of the fireplace, covered in soot.

Harry fell out right after him.

Coughing up soot, they stood up and brushed their clothes off, waiting for Mrs Weasley.

She didn't fall. She stepped out briskly and bushed her dress down.

"Oh, look at you both!" Tutting, she brushed their clothes down with a clothes-brush.

She took their hands and walked them up to the front desk.

"Hello, we're here to visit Narcissa Malfoy." She said to the witch at the desk.

"Are they expecting you?" the witch said, glancing up from her paperwork.

"Yes, the owled us this morning."

The witch went through some files. "She's in room 50 in the maternity ward."

"Thank you." Mrs Weasley nodded to her and took the boys to the elevator.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Hello!" Narcissa said tiredly, smiling at the two as the walked in the door.

"Mum!" They ran up and hugged her.

Lucius smiled at his sons fondly. "Hello." 

"Can we see them?" Harry asked excitedly.

Narcissa nodded, and patted the spaces next to her on the hospital bed. They jumped up happily.

Lucius gently placed Leo in Harry's arms and showed him the correct way to hold the baby.

He placed Celeste in Draco's arms and Narcissa adjusted his grip so her head and neck were properly supported.

"Wow. They're beautiful." Draco whispered, looking down at his sleeping sister's tiny features. Her hand curled over one of his fingers, and he looked at his mother in excitement.

She smiled at him.

Harry gazed into his baby brother's face. "Look at him! He's so cute." Leo opened his eyes briefly at the sound of Harry's voice.

Harry gaped at his parents. "His eyes are like mine!"

They smiled. "One day I'll show you pictures of my sister. She had beautiful green eyes like you and Leo have."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

When Draco got to hold Leo, Leo opened his eyes fully. "Mum he's awake."

Harry had held his sister for barely ten seconds before she woke up and started screaming.

Harry looked around the room fearfully, panicking. "Dad! Mum! What did I do?!"

"It's okay, Harry. You didn't do anything. Celeste is just a lot louder than Leo. She's only quiet when she's asleep." Lucius said.

Narcissa laughed. "It's like she's trying to prove that even though she's the youngest she's just as loud."

The two boys giggled.

"I can't wait until they're old enough to play Quidditch!"

 **Short, I know, but I promise that there will be longer chapters!**

 **Did you like it?**

 **Can you review?**

 **Will you review?**

 **Please will you review?**

 **Yes. You will.**


	16. Chapter 16: Grandma

**Hello, my dear readers.**

 **Sorry for the delay on this chapter. I've had a bit of writer's block-actually no, I'm just really lazy.**

 **On another note, thank you guys so much for 40 follows!**

 **There will be a couple time skips in this chapter, and more in future chapters, so prepare!**

 _*3 months later_ _*_

"Ew! Mum! Celeste just threw up!" Harry screamed.

Draco looked at the smelly baby vomit all over Harry and snorted.

"Come here, CC!" He picked her up and wiped her mouth with her bib.

Celeste gurgled happily and wiggled her toes. Draco picked her up and placed her on the rug with Leo, who was slobbering all over his teddy bear.

Narcissa walked into the room. She took one look at Harry's vomit covered shirt and sighed.

"Harry, I told you not to pick them up after they've been fed. I just burped them ten minutes ago!"

"Yeah, you troll, of course she was gonna throw up on you." Draco snickered.

"Draco. Don't call your brother a troll. We've been through this already. It's rude." 

Harry poked his tongue out at Draco.

Narcissa shook her head exasperatedly. Laughing, she picked the twins up. "Bath time, my little twinsies!"

Harry looked outside. It was late afternoon. "Hey Draco, we have time for one more Quidditch match!"

Narcissa turned around. "Okay then, but as soon as Dad gets home from work it's dinner time okay?"

The eight year olds nodded. "Yes Mum."

 _ ***1 year later**_ _*_

"I'm going to get you, Leo! RAAARGH!" Harry yelled, chasing after his giggling little brother.

Leo toddled down the hallway on his chubby little toddler legs, before overbalancing and falling over on his bum.

Giggling, he grabbed Harry's trouser leg and pulled himself up before toddling off again.

He ran right into Celeste who was sitting in the middle of the hallway, and he tripped. She started wailing.

"Shhhh! Shh, CC, it's okay! Shhhh!" Harry hugged her and patted her back and helped Leo up at the same time.

Draco came running to see what all the noise was about. "What happened?" He said, anxiously looking at his siblings.

"Leo tripped over Celeste." Harry said simply.

Draco trotted over to check on Leo while Harry checked Celeste for injuries.

Finding none, he kissed her rosy cheek and picked the still-crying baby up.

"Can you play chasey with Leo while I take Celeste to Mum?" Harry asked.

Draco grinned. "I'm… gonna… GET YOU!" He picked Leo up and tickled his stomach. Leo laughed.

Harry took his little sister to his Mum who was in the library.

"Mum, Leo tripped over Celeste and she won't stop crying."

Narcissa took her daughter from him and looked her over. "I think she just got a fright. Shhh, bubba, shh, it's okay." She said, giving Celeste a hug.

Harry grinned. "Draco and Leo are playing chasey. Maybe Celeste would like to join in?"

Narcissa smiled and placed Celeste on the ground.

She hadn't quite got the hang of walking, but she was certainly very vocal.

She wobbled on her chubby little legs and fell over, squealing happily.

"She certainly recovered fast!" Harry said.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

As soon as Lucius walked through the door, he was greeted by two squealing toddlers and a very bad smell.

Narcissa leant on the wall, grinning. "Somebody has done a poo just for you to change, sweetheart!" She said, pecking him on the cheek.

He gave a fake sigh. "And which somebody might that be?" He said, picking up the twins.

They squirmed and giggled.

"Both of them. Yeah, I know, it smells." She wrinkled her nose. "It _really_ smells."

 _ ***Another three months later**_ _*_

"Crayons!" Celeste yelled at Harry. "Crayons!"

"Use your manners, CC."

"Please, crayons?"

"Good girl!" He handed her a packet of crayons and a sheet of paper.

She grabbed the pink one and started scribbling.

Leo looked curiously at the crayons. He took a while before he carefully selected a bright red coloured crayon.

"Tank you." Leo said slowly.

"You're welcome, Leo!"

"What are you drawing, Celeste?" Draco asked, while Harry helped Leo with the crayon box.

"I draw bwoom!" She squealed.

"What? What- oh. _Broom?"_ Draco figured out what she meant, and looked at Harry for clarification.

He shrugged. "I think that's what she means."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Lucius came into the room holding a stack of picture books.

"Look what Grandma sent!" His mum sent her grandkids presents every once in a while. Often it was books, but other common presents were knitted beanies/scarves/mittens/jumpers/blankets and also food.

"Maybe Draco and Harry could read you one!" Lucius said enthusiastically, handing Draco the pile of books before they could protest. Hurriedly walking out of the room, he walked back to the study.

He went through the box his elderly mother had sent him, and at the bottom, as always, was a handwritten note.

 _Dear my darling son,_

 _I was wondering if I could come down for a little holiday to visit my dear grandkids and beautiful daughter-in-law who I never get to see?_

 _It would be very nice! For me, and for everybody else. I'm sure you all miss me._

 _A couple of weeks or so? I suppose it all depends on how much you all annoy me._

 _If I'm allowed I promise I'll stop sending all of those pretty pink jumpers for the whole family!_

 _I'll send lavender ones instead._

 _Hope to hear from you soon, Lucy!_

 _Lots of love,_

 _Mother (or Gran, but if you're snooping again, boys, you'll get an extra slobbering kiss next time I visit.)_

Lucius chuckled. It was true that he hadn't seen his mother for a while, but they'd been quite busy with twins and the real estate market was going through quite a crisis.

Lucius was the head of the Department of Real Estate and he and Narcissa owned several investment properties, which added to his family's wealth.

The Malfoy family had money, no secret about that, but even the seemingly endless amount of gold had been dwindling for about two years now.

He'd been spending more and more time at the Ministry, earning back what he'd lost, and it was taking longer than they'd expected.

There was a growing stack of paperwork on his desk.

His secretary, Bertha, was quite hopeless and so he didn't trust her enough to help him manage the papers. She was far too careless and he'd been meaning to get a different secretary for a while.

Rubbing his temple, he headed downstairs with his mother's letter clenched in his hand.

"Cissa?"

He poked his head into the living room.

Harry, Draco and the twins were cuddled up on the couch reading one of the storybooks.

Or rather, Harry and Leo were snuggled up on the couch reading a book while Celeste ran laps around the room, Draco desperately trying to catch her.

He chuckled and headed off to the library, where his wife was spending more and more time.

She was curled up on an armchair reading a book. "Cissa?" He said.

She looked up and smiled at him. "Hello, darling."

She saw the letter in his hand. "What's that, dear?" she asked.

"My mother wrote. Here." He handed her the letter, and she read it, the side of her mouth curling up in amusement as she read her mother-in-law's words.

"She wants to come and stay with us for a while." He said.

"Well, why not? We haven't seen her for about a month and you know the kids will be so happy. Invite her to stay for a couple of weeks."

After a pause, she sighed. "I know that you and your mother don't always see eye-to-eye, Lucius. But she's getting old, and you know how much she loves you.

He nodded. "I'll go write back now."

He kissed her gently and headed back up to his study.

 **Oooh, twins growing up! Sort of. And drama! All in one chapter!**

 **Also I have completely made up 'The Department of Real Estate'.**

 **I also know that the Malfoys are so rich they won't even probably need a job, but that's canon. This is fanfiction.**

 **Also I feel like even a super rich family would need even a bit of income if they have four kids.**

 **What if the money just… ran out?**

 **Boom. Gone.**

 **I really doubt that that would happen to the Malfoys', but anything is possible.**

 **And plus, I feel like this story wouldn't be as interesting if they sat around all day as a family playing board games or Quidditch or something.**

 **Thank you all very much for reading my little rant.**

 **And the chapter.**

 **And the story…**

 **Well, bye!**

 **Hope you liked the chapter.**

 **Let me know!**

 **Also if anyone actually understands how real estate and investments and stuff works, please explain to me. Google can only explain so much. It would be greatly appreciated.**

 **Erm, bye again! I'll just sign off now before I write another whole page of my rambling.**


	17. Chapter 17: Champagne

"Hello, my darling family!" Lucius's mum screeched as she walked in the door. She grabbed Draco and smooched him on the cheek.

When she turned away to greet the twins, he mimed vomiting to Harry, who sniggered.

But not for long, as she turned around and smooched him on the forehead.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Stop growing, you two! You'll be taller than me soon. Need to put a brick on your head. Stop growing!" She said, looking at Harry and Draco.

They beamed at each other, pleased that they were getting taller.

She picked up Leo, who was pulling on her sleeve. "And look at you, little man! You've grown so much since I saw you last." She looked pointedly at Lucius, who cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Do you fancy a cup of tea, Mother?" He asked.

"No tea. How about champagne? Eh, Cissa?" She elbowed her daughter in law, who laughed.

"Champagne sounds lovely."

"Where's your house elf? Lovely little thing, he is. Dobby!" She screeched.

Dobby appeared with a pop. Seeing the slender, white-haired old woman, his face lit up. "Hello Madame Malfoy!"

"Hello, Dobby, dear!"

She hugged him. Whenever her elderly friends asked sceptically why she was so nice to her elves, she said "Because they are lovely little creatures, spending all day waiting on us lazy old farts."

"Dobby, can you fetch us some champagne, please?" Narcissa asked.

He bowed. "Yes, Mistress." He disappeared with a pop.

Celeste ran into the room wearing only a nappy. Lucius was running after her, holding a blue ruffled dress.

"Gran! Gran!" She yelled, jumping into her arms.

"Hello, my darling!"

"Daddy try make me wear yucky dress!" She yelled, pointing at him. And the yucky dress.

Gram rolled her eyes. "You don't need to wear that horrible thing, dear. Remind me to bring you a bomber jacket next time I visit."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Gran! Look at this!" Harry grabbed his broomstick and took off. He did a loop in the air and landed in front of Gran. She applauded.

"Well done, Harry dear! Such talent we have in this family."

She took the broom from his and looked at it.

"Hmmm, a Cleansweep Six? Much better than the broom I had when I was a child. May I give it a go?"

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Narcissa asked from the chair she was sitting in.

"I'm not that old!" She cried indignantly. Narcissa raised an eyebrow.

"Alright, I am, but let the old lass have a go!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Yes, that was a bad idea, you were right, Cissa dear."

Narcissa rolled her eyes and adjusted the ice-pack on her mother-in-law's ankle.

Gran had successfully done a loop in mid-air, but she fell off the broom upon landing. Harry and Draco were very impressed, apart from the landing disaster.

"It's okay! We have magic. That's what it's for. Healing old ladies' sprained ankles." Gran said.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Gran. Say Gran."

"Gwan. Gwan. Gwanny!" The twins chorused.

"Close enough!" She tickled the twins, who squealed.

"Ah, look at their little faces. So innocent. Adorable."

Leo pulled a face. Draco groaned. "Oh no, he's pulling the poo face! Take cover!"

A terrible smell suddenly filled the air. Celeste giggled.

"Awful. What are you feeding him?" Gran said. She waved her wand and the terrible smell was replaced with a smell of roses.

"All clean!"

She waved it again and rainbow sparks shot out of it. The twins giggled. "Sparkly!" Celeste cried.

"Pretty." Leo said.

"Anyway, Lucy," he cringed at his Mother's embarrassing nickname for him "I've been meaning to ask you if I could move in?"

She sipped her champagne. "I'm getting quite old. And I'd like to see my grandchildren every day."

Looking at her son's surprised face, she continued. "I'm 84, Lucy! I'm an OLD woman! I can look after these little brats for you so you can both work."

Narcissa and Lucius looked at each other. "Well…"

"Oh, come on, I know you're struggling with your business lately, Lucius. And I read your letters-"

"What?!"

She waved him off. "Let me finish. I read your letters asking for a new secretary. Cissa can take Bertha's place. Simple!"

Lucius looked at Narcissa. "I don't see why not." She said.

He smiled. "Of course, Mum."

Draco and Harry cheered happily. "Yes!"

The twins started clapping, copying Harry and Draco's reactions. "Yayyyyyy!" They cried.

Gran chuckled. "Yayyyy!" She imitated the twins, two pairs of eyes, one blue and one green, looking at her.

 **I know this is another short chapter buttttt….**

 **I don't have a reason. I'm just lazy.**

 **Thanks for all the follows, favourites and reviews so far!**

 **Make sure to follow, favourite and review is you haven't! Right now! Please! Please?**

 **Byeeeeee!**


	18. Chapter 18: Mud

***1 year later** *****

"Hogwarts Hogwarts Hoggy Warty Hogwarts, teach us something please!" Celeste sung as she skipped along the hallway.

The twins were now two, and they would be turning three the following month.

Celeste was the more bubbly of the two; she had made many friends at the kindergarten she was attending. She was loud and loved chaos.

Leo, on the other hand, couldn't be more different. He was quiet and shy, and very sweet. When Celeste was too loud and flustered, he could calm her with just a glance.

They had developed very quickly for such young children, although children with powerful magical abilities were known to develop faster.

Harry and Draco were ten and were extremely excited about attending Hogwarts next year. In fact, they had both already decided that they would try and join the Quidditch team.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Mum, remember that Ron and Ginny are staying here tomorrow." Harry said, tugging on his mother's arm.

"Yes darling, don't worry. I remember." Narcissa answered, smiling at her son. She kissed him on the forehead. "Go get ready for school."

He grins. "Yes ma'am!" He ran off down the hallway.

"Mummy." Another little person tugged on her sleeve. She looked down and smiled at her tiny son.

"Yes dear?" she said, scooping Leo into her arms.

"Can you teach me how to read?" He asked her, his big, innocent emerald eyes sparkling.

She smiled at him. "Darling, you're only two! Of course I can teach you but remember you don't need to just yet."

"Please, Mummy?"

"Of course, sweetheart."

"Thank you, Mummy."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"And what do you think you're doing?"

Draco dropped the chocolate box in fright and whirled around.

"N-nothing, Gran."

"I should hope so! It doesn't look that way to me, unfortunately!"

Draco went very red.

"Those… are… _my_ chocolates." She hissed, a twinkle in her eye.

"Sorry, Gran."

"Too early for you to be having sweets, boy! Run along and get ready for school, now."

"Yes, Gran." Draco said sheepishly. He darted out of the room as quickly as a bird.

Gran grinned and snatched the chocolates off of the ground, popping one in her mouth.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Have a good day. Love you!" Narcissa called after her sons. They both waved at her, smiling, before running inside.

"Ron! Ginny!" Harry raced over to the Weasley siblings, and Draco rushed over to Vincent and Greg.

"Harry!" Ginny waved madly and Ron grinned.

"Guess what." Harry said breathlessly.

"What?" Ron asked.

"Dad found the spare brooms, finally, so we can play Quidditch later with Draco."

Ginny and Ron cheered. "Don't let your gran play this time, though, Harry." Ginny rolled her eyes. "Remember last time?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Dobby is bringing yous some snacks." The elf appeared in the playroom with a startlingly loud pop.

Draco and Ron were playing a very intense game of wizard's chess and when Dobby appeared Ginny jumped, knocking the board.

"Ginny!" Ron yelled. "Look what you've done!"

"Oh, stop it Ron." She answered, picking a knight and three pawns off of the floor. "Barely anything happened."

She carefully placed the pieces back on the board. Ron snatched the knight from her hand. "Let me!" he snapped angrily.

"Ron, stop it." Harry said. Ron scowled at his sister and Harry.

"Thanks for the snacks, Dobby!" Draco said. The little elf bowed and disappeared.

Ginny poked her tongue out at her brother. She huffed and grabbed a tuna sandwich from the tray. "I'm _bored._ Can we please do something else?"

"What do you want to do, Gin?" Harry asked. She shrugged.

"Wanna go play Quidditch or something?" She asked.

"With only two people?" Draco asked. Ron sniggered.

Ginny shrugged. "We can invent a new game."

"Okay. Why not? You can borrow Draco's broom." Harry told her. She grinned.

"Yay! Let's go." She grabbed three more sandwiches and ran out of the room. Harry took a sandwich and crossed his eyes at the others.

"Don't die." Draco said to Harry, not taking his eyes off the game. "Your go, Ron."

Ron looked at Harry. "We'll come play Quidditch after this game, okay?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o

The twins stood at the window gaping.

Harry had just done some sort of loop thing and Ginny was laughing, but in their adoring eyes, their big brother had just become the best Quidditch player in the world.

Draco and Ron barrelled down the stairs but stopped at the sight of the tiny toddlers at the window.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked them.

They turned around. Leo pointed outside and Celeste shouted "Harry!"

They looked out the window and saw Ginny laughing at Harry, who had fallen in a mud puddle. He was grinning and had gone very red.

Ron and Draco looked at each other and snorted. They run outside, the twins following them.

Ginny flew down and landed in front of them, still cackling with laughter.

"Harry… Harry tried to do a wronski feint!"

Draco snorted. "I'm going to take a wild guess that it didn't end well?"

Harry sheepishly walked over, brushing the mud off of his clothes. "Not the _best_ landing." He said.

Celeste giggled. "Silly Harry." Leo laughed and hugged his older brother around the leg.

"I'll go wash this mud off before gran sees me." Harry said. He headed inside, Celeste and Leo following him like little puppies.

 **I'm debating on whether to have the next chapter set a year later, with Harry and Draco getting school supplies and going to Hogwarts, or to have another chapter featuring the twins. I am planning on all the main events of the story happening, but obviously with this plotline. Also there may be more chapters with Draco because obviously the wonderful JK has covered the majority of Harry's adventures.**

 **Also I apologise for the rambly author's note.**

 **And I know that it was pretty short again, I'm sorry, but I'd rather have a chapter be short and sweet rather than long, rambly and sloppily written. Rambly is now a word, by the way. Just in case anybody was wondering.**

 **Anyway, can** _ **somebody**_ **please advise me on chapter order? Please?**

 **Bye bye!**


	19. Chapter 19: Beetles

**Okay, well, as I only got one reply for last chapter (and thank you very much, Spydey, your opinion is much appreciated) here is a chapter featuring the twins. Woohoo! *** **enthusiastic applause***

 **So… now that I'm finished with the author's note, I'll go write the chapter now. Enjoy it, you little farts.**

Narcissa had found a large antique desk in the library that had belonged to Lucius's grandfather. She had dusted it off and it was now sitting in the corner of the spacious library next to the crackling fire.

The old desk had shelves up the top, and Narcissa had ordered many books from Flourish and Blotts. A few of these titles were "The Essential book of learning for Magical Children Under Ten", "A History of Magical Education" and "Teaching your Magical Little Brats to Read in Ten Simple Steps".

So far, the last one looked the most promising.

"Celeste, how many times have I told you not to eat the parchment?"

Celeste giggled, eyes sparkling in mischief. Narcissa sighed and rubbed her temple.

She gave them each a self-inking quill and a small journal, both of them bright green with a picture of a unicorn on the front.

"Mummy, I like unicorns." Celeste clapped her pudgy little hands.

Narcissa laughed. "I'm glad, darling."

Leo frowned and tapped the table impatiently with his quill. "Please can we start now?"

Narcissa ruffled her tiny son's blonde hair. "Yes, sweetie. We can start."

"YAY!" The twins happily yelled. Leo accidentally knocked a pot of ink off of the desk. Narcissa siged and he grinned sheepishly. She waved her wand and all the ink came out of the white carpet.

"Okay. First we'll read this book. Do you know what a poem is?"

Leo nodded frantically. "Harry told me it's like a song without the singing."

"Rhyming words!" Celeste yelled, clapping excitedly.

Narcissa smiled. "That's right. I'll read one to you now."

She cleared her throat. " _There once was a young witch named Belle._

 _She freaked out and casted a spell._

 _That went very wrong, her hair grew so long,_

 _That she could wrap it thrice round' the well."_

The twins giggled. "Silly Belle." Celeste remarked, shaking her head.

Narcissa laughed at them. "Now, that was called a limerick. A limerick is a type of poem-and today we'll read lots of them."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

At lunchtime, Harry and Ron were discussing Hogwarts, sitting in a tree and eating their sandwiches.

"What house do you think you'll be in, Ron?" Harry asked, taking a big bite of his chicken sandwich.

"Gryffindor! Hopefully. My whole family has been sorted into Gryffindor, and the twins'll never let me hear the end of it if I'm not." Ron looked thoughtful. "I can't really imagine being sorted anywhere else."

Harry nodded.

"What about you?" Ron asked.

Harry shrugged. "Gryffindor, although I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad…"

Ron shook his head frantically, his bright red hair falling in front of his eyes. "No! You have to be in Gryffindor… Ravenclaw are all nerds…"

"Hello Harry, hello Ron." Luna greeted them from the bottom of the tree. "I couldn't help but overhear… I predict you'll both be Gryffindors. And Ron, Ravenclaws aren't 'nerds'…" She trailed off, looking dreamy.

Ginny sniggered. "Ooooh, Ron, you're in the doghouse now!"

Luna blinked. "Would you like a beetle? They keep away evil spirits." She held out a container full of large black beetles, crawling over each other.

"Errgh! Yuck!" Ron yelled, scrambling away from her and the container held in her outstretched hand. Ginny poked him in the ribs.

"Erm… no thanks, Luna." Harry shook his head, an awkward expression on his face.

"Alright!" She jumped down from the tree, clutching her container to her chest. Ginny followed.

Before she followed her friend, she rolled her eyes. "Scared of a couple of beetles Ron? That's not very Gryffindor-like. You're more of a Hufflepuff."

Ron growled at her, dropping his sandwich in the dirt. Ginny cackled and took off running.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"A…B…C…F…H…" Celeste chanted, her little face going red with effort as she tried to remember the order.

"Almost, sweetheart." Narcissa tickled her. She squealed and squirmed away, giggling.

"A…B…C…D…E…F…G…" Leo said. He looked at his mother for approval, and she nodded enthusiastically. "Well done, darling! That's right."

Celeste huffed as her brother beamed.

"Mummy, can we sing the song again?" She asked.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Draco, me and Ron were talking about Hogwarts at lunch… and we were wondering which houses we would be sorted into. What do you think you'll be in?"

"Hmm. Slytherin. I think you'll be Ravenclaw..."

"That's what I'm not sure about… Ron reckons I'll be Gryffindor with him."

"Not sure. Do you think I'll be Slytherin?"

"Definitely." Harry reassured him, knowing that that was the answer his brother wanted.

Draco still looked unsure. He shrugged. "I dunno. Let's go get some crisps!"

He and Harry threw their schoolbags to the side of the corridor. They looked at each other and grinned, before bolting.

"I won!" Harry cheered, poking his tongue out at Draco and cheering. Draco was red-faced and panting. He rolled his eyes, and walked in the direction of the pantry.

"What flavour do you want?" He asked Harry as he opened the door.

"Honey soy chicken please." Draco threw the packet at Harry, who caught it in one hand. Taking a packet for himself, they sat at the table.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Must get some tea… Narcissa dear, do you wat a cuppa?"

"Oh, no thank you, Cassie." She waved her hand.

Her mother-in-law shrugged. "Your loss. AH well, at least I can add a dash of gin now…"

She skipped (yes, skipped) out of the library and into the kitchen, where her eldest grandsons were eating crisps.

"Hello, Gran." Draco waved. "How was your day?

"Hello, love. Eh. Boring. You?"

Harry shrugged and looked at Draco.

Gran frowned. "What're you two up to this time?" She set down the teapot and put her hands on her hips.

"Oh, nothing, Gran, honest…" Draco hastily replied.

"Are you sure? Because if it involves underage magic, you could've just asked me."

Harry laughed. "No Gran. We were just talking."

"About what?" She demanded. "Give me the gossip."

"We were just talking about Hogwarts!"

"Pah. School. Boring. Carry on." She turned back to the teapot.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

"I think that you're definitely a Slytherin."

"Are you sure?" Draco still looked a bit doubtful.

"Nope, sweets, you're definitely Hufflepuff." Gran said, taking a bottle of gin out of the cupboard.

"Gran!" Draco protested. Harry sighed and buried his face in his hands.

"What? Hufflepuff is a lovely house. They've got lots of wonderful people. Why, my first lover was in Hufflepuff-"

"Gran! We don't want to know!" Harry yelled.

She cackled. "Very well."

 **A big thank you to mystictiger23 for giving me an idea for this chapter. Much appreciated, friend**

 **Also was my limerick complete crap? I've never written one before, so I wouldn't know. I had to look up how to write one.**

 **Anywayyyyy what did you think? Good? Bad? In between?**

 **OH! HERE'S A LOVELY IDEA!**

 **HOW ABOUT YOU LET ME KNOW IN A REVIEW OR SOMETHING AND SHOW SOME SUPPORT? (not you, mystic, you're the best)**

 **Have a lovely day! :D**


	20. Chapter 20: Shopping

**I'm sorry.**

Leo was perched in an armchair, studying a book about plants and trying to decipher the words. He was now four, and could read many simple books by himself, but as he was still so young he struggled with the majority of their family library. He flourished at school.

Celeste was not interested in learning, and preferred running around with her older brothers, playing Quidditch and helping her gran bake food.

"Leo!" Lucius called from the bottom of the stairs. "Time to go!"

"Coming!" He shouted, and with admittedly a bit of relief, he shut the thick book with a snap and placed it on the side table. He bounded to his feet and jumped down the stairs two at a time.

Harry and Draco were bouncing around the foyer looking very excited, as today marked their last day at home before Hogwarts. They were shopping for school supplies today.

"Everyone ready? Leo, do you need your coat? Celeste, please put your hat on."

"Yes, Mummy." Celeste ran off to fetch her hat, and Leo pulled on his coat.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Where shall we go first?" Draco asked.

"I think we should get your wands first." Lucius replied.

"I can take the twins to the toy store while you get everything, if you like." Gran took their hands, and they cheered.

Narcissa smiled. "How about we meet at Florean Fortescue's in, say, an hour and a half?"

Draco and Harry high-fived. "Yesssss! Ice-cream!"

"Sounds good to me!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

The doorbell tinkled as the four stepped into Ollivander's, and the elderly man stepped out from behind a shelf and smiled in greeting.

His smile faded slightly when he caught sight of Harry. "Mr Potter."

Harry looked confused. "Pardon?"

Ollivander opened his mouth to say something more, but then he caught sight of Narcissa frantically shaking her head.

"Forgive me. I had you mixed up with a past customer."

Harry shrugged. "That's okay."

"Now," Ollivander turned around. He selected a box and handed it to Draco, and another to Harry. "Draco. Rose wood, unicorn hair. Ten inches. Harry. Hawthorn, phoenix feather, dragon heartstring, twelve and a half inches. Give them a wave."

The boys did so. When Draco waved his, the lightbulb shattered and the already-dim room was made even darker, and when Harry waved his, the bell on the desk started ringing and would not stop.

Ollivander snatched the wands out of their hands, hastily stopped the bell from ringing and restored the lightbulb to its former glory.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Granny! Look!" Celeste grabbed her by the hand and dragged her over to a massive, grand dollhouse by the window.

"Lovely, dear, but wouldn't you think we should ask your parents before buying it?"

Celeste pouted. "I suppose so." Gran patted her blonde hair. Celeste's expression brightened when she saw an array of toy brooms.

"Wow!" She squealed happily, and rushed over to them.

Leo was examining the Gobstones set, which was a beautiful silver colour. When he heard his sister's squeal, he looked up. "Celeste? What's wrong?"

He rushed over to her.

"Nothing is wrong! It's rather great, actually! Look!" She excitedly pointed to the brooms.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Where shall we go now?" Draco asked Lucius. Lucius looked to Narcissa, who shrugged. "We should go to the bookstore."

The other three nodded in approval, and off they went, the boys marvelling at all the attractions.

They entered the bookstore, and a truly amazing sight greeted their eyes. There were bookshelves as high as the ceiling and as wide as the wall, full to the bursting with books of all kinds.

Harry gaped at the many tall bookshelves, and Draco gulped, as they looked as if they would topple over at any moment.

The family walked up to the counter. Narcissa cleared her throat, and the lady at the desk looked up. "Hello! Can I help you?"

"Yes. Might you help us get schoolbooks, please?"

"Ah yes. New students, I presume?" She placed a bookmark in her book and stood up.

The boys nodded excitedly, and Harry's hair fell to the side.

Catching sight of his scar, the woman's eyes widened. "It's-it's an honour to meet you…" She shook Harry's hand. Harry looked confused.

"Erm, it's nice to meet you too?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Please, Gran? Pretty please with a chocolate frog on top?"

The twins looked at her pleadingly with their beautiful big eyes. How could she resist? They were so cute. She sighed.

"Fine. Come on!"

They screeched happily and jumped around, before carefully selecting their brooms.

Gran led them up to the counter. She took their brooms from their pudgy hands, and placed them on the counter.

"We'll take these, please."The cashier smiled at her, and smiled at the adorably excited twins.

"Yay!" They screamed for the umpteenth time.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Lucius grumbled as he was handed the many book bags, and sagged under their weight. He waved his wand, and they shrunk small enough to fit into his pocket.

"That's cheating!" Narcissa accused him, and slipped her hand into his. The boys ran ahead.

"Boys! Slow down!" She yelled after them, and they turned around and trotted back to them, sheepish grins on their ecstatic faces.

"Can we go to the pet shop?" Draco asked hopefully.

"I don't see why not." Lucius answered him, and the boys responded with cheers.

They rushed ahead again, and stood impatiently at the door, waiting for their parents. Narcissa huffed and rolled her eyes.

"So much for slowing down, eh?" She poked Harry in the ribs and ruffled Draco's hair. Draco scowled and Harry giggled, the both of them swatting her hands away.

Lucius pushed open the door, and instantly the boys ran over to the puppies.

Harry looked longingly at the excited Labrador pups, and Draco petted the tiny beagles.

"Awwwww…" They said in unison. "Mum-"

"Before you ask, I'm sorry, but you can't take dogs to Hogwarts." Narcissa looked at the puppies too, and sighed. "As much as I would like one too, it'll be too hard. Maybe in a couple of years."

The boys looked quite disappointed, but their reaction was brief as they caught sight of the beautiful owls.

Draco was fascinated by the tiny pygmy owls, before he caught sight of a magnificent eagle owl that was eyeing him.

Harry was instantly smitten with a stunning snowy owl.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Celeste and Leo gazed at the fluffy mountains of creamy ice-cream. This was the hardest choice they'd ever had to make in their short, four-year-old lives.

The door swung open with a loud creak, and Gran winced. She turned, and smiled when the rest of the family walked into the cheery shop.

Draco and Harry were beaming from ear-to-ear, each holding a cage with an owl inside.

Lucius and Narcissa took the owls from them, and the boys dashed over to the ice-cream counter.

After much discussion, the twins decided they were ready to order.

"Hello. May I have a mint chocolate ice-cream? My brother would like a banana one." Celeste asked politely.

Florean Fortescue smiled at the two tiny children. "Why certainly! Would you like a waffle cone?"

The twins shared a glance.

"Yes," Celeste nodded "Yes please."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

The family sat at a table next to the window, the sun streaming through the glass.

Harry licked his cherry ice-cream, lost in thought, a dreamy look in his eye. Draco chatted with his Gran, and scarfed down his caramel ice-cream.

The twins ate slowly, ice-cream dripping down the cones and all over their hands and faces.

Gran tutted and wiped their sticky chins with a napkin, but her efforts proved pointless as they were barely half finished.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

When they got home, the twins were tired, ratty and had tummy aches. Draco and Harry dashed upstairs to pack their trunks, and Lucius ran the twins a bath and put them to bed for naps.

Gran helped Dobby prepare dinner (roast chicken) and Narcissa helped the boys pack their trunks.

In a contrast to the bubbly chatter that had gone on between the two of them all day, they were surprisingly quiet as they folded their newly-purchased dress robes and placed them into neat little piles.

"Alright. What's the matter?" Narcissa asked her sons gently. They looked up.

"Nothing." Said Harry hastily.

"What he said." Draco nodded at his brother.

Narcissa snorted. "Codswallop. I know that something's up, boys, I'm your mother."

Draco sighed. "I suppose we're just nervous. Excited too, but mostly nervous."

Harry nodded his agreement. "That's true. What if we're not in the same house? What if we can't make friends?"

"What if we're terrible at classes?" Draco continued, and Harry's eyes widened.

"What if we get kicked out?"

Narcissa's eyes filled with tears at their anxiety. "Oh, my boys. My darling boys. Everything will be fine."

"But how do you know?"

"Because I had these thoughts before I started school, and by the time the train pulled in at Hogsmeade, I had friends that would remain my friends all the way through Hogwarts. And some of them are still my friends now."

"Who?" Draco said quizzically.

Narcissa smiled. "One of them is your father."

And the boys smiled as they packed the rest of their things, because they were no longer as nervous and knew things would be okay.


	21. Chapter 21: Waiting

Draco opened his eyes and yawned. Stretching, he looked at the yellow clock on his bedside table. Five forty-six am.

His room was dark, and there was a big shape in the middle of the floor. For a second he was confused and wondered what it was, before a whole lot of emotions smacked him in the gut.

Today was the first of September, and in about five hours he would be ready to board the Hogwarts Express.

He tried to roll over and go back to sleep, but after tossing and turning for a while he decided to just get up.

He threw back his covers and stepped onto the fluffy green rug, and padded over to the window. He opened the curtains and peered outside.

The sun was beginning to rise in the pinkish-orange sky. Dewdrops gathered on the outside of his window, and one slowly rolled down the glass pane.

Draco walked over to the closet and put on a blue shirt and a pair of jeans. He opened his trunk to double check he had everything, and checked again just to be sure. His new owl, Mercury (a name his mother gave him) hooted at him.

He glanced at his clock again. Six twenty-five. Still too early for his family to be awake-they weren't morning people, unlike him.

On his bedside-table there were a stack of old comic books he had found under his bed yesterday, when he was looking for his other sneaker. They were a bit dusty, but otherwise seemed fine.

Draco picked one up off of the top of the stack and opened it. _The Adventures of Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle-Volume Two._

Not caring it was the second one in the series (as he knew them off by heart, even though he hadn't read them for years) he opened it and started reading.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Leo. Leooooo." Celeste poked her brother's left cheek. He didn't stir.

Celeste huffed and poked him again. Leo grunted and swatted her little hand away, before rolling over in his bed so he faced the wall.

"Leo! Wakey wakey!"

"Go way'." He mumbled sleepily. Celeste poked out her tongue and wandered out of their room. She walked down the hallway into her parents' room and opened the door with a creak.

Her mother stirred a little a the sudden noise but settled down again, and her father was snoring very loudly. Celeste giggled and snuck up to the bed, and cannonballed on top of her sleeping parents.

Lucius yelped in fright and Narcissa's eyes flew open.

"CC!" She protested, yawning. Her daughter giggled and Narcissa pushed her morning grumpiness to the side and tickled her.

Lucius smiled and leant over, pecking his wife on the cheek. "Good morning, my love." 

She smiled at him. "Morning, honey." She glanced at the clock. "Crikey, you'd better go wake the boys up if we want to meet the Weasleys' at the station."

Lucius nodded. He kissed Celeste on the top of her head and stood up. He put on his slippers and walked off to go wake up his three sons.

"How did you sleep, sweetheart?" Narcissa asked Celeste.

"Good! Can we have French toast for bekfast, _please_ Mummy?"

"Yes dear, of course. Why don't you go get your Gran up and I'll go ask Dobby?"

"Okay Mummy!" She jumped off the bed and ran out of the room.

Narcissa poked her head into the twins' bedroom, where Leo was still asleep.

"Time to get up, darling." She said gently, and stroked his blonde hair out of his face. He scrunched up his eyes and stretched, yawning.

"Don't want to get up yet, Mummy."

"Dobby might make us French toast. But only if you get up now!"

He jumped up. "With strawberries? And ice-cream?"

Narcissa smiled at him. "Let's go ask him, shall we?"

She picked him up and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, clinging to her like a little monkey.

They walked down the stairs together and into the kitchen, where Dobby was getting out plates for breakfast.

"Good morning, Dobby!" Leo greeted happily.

Dobby's face lit up. "Good morning, Master Leo, and Mistress Narcissa."

"Hello Dobby. Leo has a special request for breakfast. Don't you, kiddo?"

"French toats!" He yelled, throwing his arms in the air and accidentally smacking Narcissa in the jaw.

"Ow!" She cupped her face in her hand.

Leo looked crestfallen. "Sorry, Mummy! I didn't mean to!"

"It's alright, Leo." She said, and kissed him on the nose.

"Dobby shall fetch some ice, mistress." Dobby bowed, and walked over to the fridge.

He handed her a packet of frozen peas, and she smiled at him gratefully.

"Thank you."

He bowed again. "Dobby shall start making French toast. Extra fluffy?"

"Yeah!" Leo yelled happily. Narcissa caught his hand as he threw it in the air, and this time she didn't get hit in the jaw again.

Leo laughed.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Lucius poked his head in Draco's room.

"Draco, time to get-oh, good morning." He greeted his son, who was so absorbed in his book he seemingly didn't hear his father.

"Draco?"

Draco startled. "Oh, good morning, Dad!" He put his book down and greeted his father with a hug.

"Something smells nice." He said, sniffing the air.

"It does indeed. Do me a favour and wake Harry up?"

"Of course."

They smiled at each other before parting ways, Draco going down the hallway, Lucius going down the stairs.

Narcissa and the twins were sitting at the kitchen table, while their Gran fussed about in the kitchen while Dobby was looking a little frazzled.

"The way to make it fluffy is to add a dash of gin."

Narcissa sighed. "For the last time, Cassie, you're not adding alcohol to the family breakfast!"

"I was just giving pointers!"

"Beg pardon, Mistress Cassiopeia, but Dobby knows how to make French toast."

"Very well." She huffed, and sat next the Celeste, who was eating apple slices.

Despite the volume in the kitchen, the first thing Lucius noticed was his wife who was nursing her jaw with a bag of frozen peas.

"What happened?" He frowned.

She laughed. "Leo got a bit excited about French toast. His celebrations, however, were a bit _too_ excitable."

Leo looked sheepishly between his mother to his father. He didn't notice his sister slowly creeping up behind him.

She put an apple slice down the back of his shirt and he yelped. She crawled under the table, giggling.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

After breakfast, Narcissa helped the twins brush their hair and their teeth.

"I want to choose!" Celeste yelled when Narcissa walked over to the closet.

"Okay, okay!"

"No, I want to!" she yelled when Narcissa picked up the pink tutu.

Narcissa threw up her hands in defeat. "Alright, alright, you do it then."

She turned to Leo. "Do you want my help, or do you want to be 'independent' like your sister."

"Can you help, please?"

After what felt like hours, the twins were dressed, their hair neatly brushed and their shoes tied.

"Go have a play for," she looked at her watch. "Twenty minutes, but when I say pack up, you pack up, okay?"

They nodded and ran off to the playroom.

Narcissa sighed when she realised that Celeste's horrendous tutu was on back to front.

"Whatever."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"I don't remember my trunk being this heavy!" Lucius groaned as he heaved the trunk out the door.

"Dad, why don't you just use magic?" Harry pointed out.

"Fair point. I'll do that."

Narcissa, who had been listening from the stairs, gave a snort of laughter.

"Are you both ready? Have you got _everything?"_ She asked them, straightening Harry's jacket.

The two of them nodded. "Yes."

"Certain?"

" _Yes._ Can we leave now?" Harry asked his mother.

"As long as you're sure you have everything-I mean, we can always send whatever you forget along to you, but I just want to be sure you've got everything you need."

"Yes! We have! Let's go!" Draco grabbed her arm and pulled her in the direction of the stairs.

"Someone's excited." Narcissa smirked.

" _Someone_ doesn't want to be late."

"Alright then, come on."

0o0o0o0o0o0o

The family arrived at the station, where their familiar red-headed friends were waiting. Narcissa and Molly embraced, and Lucius and Arthur awkwardly shook hands.

The kids were jumping around, attracting a lot of looks with their carts full of strange things, and were desperate to get inside platform 9 ¾.

"Mum! Please, let's go in now!" Ron whined, tugging Molly's sleeve.

"Oh, yes, of course dear! Come along, everyone, the train leaves in fifteen minutes! You'll miss all the good seats."

Lucius took the twins through first, followed by Molly, Ginny and Gran.

Fred and George shoved in front of Percy and ran through together, laughing. Percy frowned, and followed them.

Arthur and Ron ran through, and Harry and Draco looked at Narcissa.

"You go first." She smiled at her sons.

Draco went through the barrier, and then Harry. They were greeted with a lot of noise, even more than there was on the muggle platform. They stared around in awe.

"Quick, come on! Let's get you on the train." Narcissa led them over to the rest of the group.

The twins were whining. "But Daddy, I want to go on the train too!" Celeste squirmed.

"Yeah, and me!" Leo agreed.

"Sorry, guys, but you're too young. Anyway, you need to keep me and Mummy company-the house will be way quieter without your brothers!"

Gran snorted. "I don't know about that."

Celeste poked out your tongue, and Gran pointed at her. "Put your tongue back in your mouth where it belongs, young lady, or it might stay that way when the wind changes!"

Celeste hurriedly put her tongue back in her mouth.

The train hooted. Narcissa gave Harry and Draco a big hug. "I love you. Have fun. Don't get into too much trouble. Write to us every day!"

Lucius hugged Draco, and the twins grabbed onto his legs. Harry didn't want to let go of his mother. He breathed in her scent-an unusual mix of peppermint and cinnamon.

"Love you, Mummy." He whispered. He hadn't called her Mummy for years.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Draco, Harry and Ron followed Fred and George through the train.

"Ah, look, this one's empty, you'll have it all to yourself!" George exclaimed, and opened the door for them. The twins helped them put their trunks on the rack.

"We're going to go catch up with our friends. See you at the feast!" Fred waved and followed George out of the door. He poked his head back in. "Oh, and watch out for the trolley witch-she seems nice, but she's a bit evil."

He walked away, whistling. The three boys exchanged nervous glances.

"Evil?" Draco said nervously.

"I doubt it. Fred's just pulling your leg."

The boys sat down and gazed out the window, awaiting to arrive at Hogwarts.


	22. Chapter 22: Letters

"Wow," Draco breathed, his breath fogging up a small patch on the window. "Look!" the others rushed over to the window, where Hogwarts was casting a reflection on the water, light from the windows twinkling.

"We're here!" Ron exclaimed, dropping the chocolate frog he was holding. It hopped through the compartment door and got away.

"Bloody hell!" Ron swore, watching the frog hop away.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Firs' years! Firs years over here!" A massive man with a very hairy beard waved his arms.

"Now there's four o' ya to a boat. And no muckin' around! No splashin' water or rockin' the boats intentionally."

The three boys glanced at each other nervously and climbed in a boat, joined by a boy they knew from school, Blaise Zabini. He greeted Harry and Draco with a friendly smile, but sneered at Ron, who flushed beet red.

"I'm Hagrid, and I'm the keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts. This ere' is the lake, and I'd advise yer not ta chuck food into it."

The first years looked around them in wonder, at the gigantic lake and the enormous, beautiful castle.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Draco looked up at the table with all the teachers, and gulped nervously. He hoped he was put in the same house as his brother.

"It's going to be fine," Harry whispered. "You'll be okay, no matter where we are sorted."

Draco nodded.

A tall witch who had introduced herself before as Professor McGonagall approached them. She had a severe face and her hair tied up in a tight bun. She was holding a list and a very ragged hat. She dropped the hat on the chair. It began to sing a song that described all of the school houses, and their qualities.

When the song was finished, the first years just gaped at it and each other, especially the muggleborns.

"When I call out your name, come sit on the stool and put the sorting hat on your head."

She went through the list, and it felt like she had both taken forever and hardly any time to get to Draco's name.

He gulped and glanced at Harry, who smiled reassuringly. He walked up to the stool and put the hat on his head.

 _Another Malfoy! Should be easy to know where to put you. Oh, but you want to remain with your brother? That can be arranged, too, although it might go against your personality, and his._

 _Well I don't want that!_ Draco thought desperately. _I just don't want us to be separated…_

 _If you're absolutely certain, I can put your brother and you in the same house. But you would go best in Slytherin, and just a small gut feeling tells me that he won't want to go there._

 _So what'll it be? Go with your brother, or follow your true instinct?_

 _You know which one I want._

 _Indeed I do._ "SLYTHERIN!" The green and silver table erupts into cheers.

Draco puts the hat on the stool, glances at his brother nervously again, and hurries off to the Slytherin table.

"Harry Malfoy-Potter!" McGonagall calls up, and the great hall goes absolutely quiet. You could hear a pin drop. Draco watches his brother intently.

It seems like Harry is sitting on that little stall for an eternity. Draco wonders what on earth the sorting hat could possibly be telling him. Harry looks at his brother the whole time, and glances away only when the sorting hat calls out the answer.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The red and gold table cheer and scream, and Harry smiles ruefully before putting the hat down and going to join his new house.

Two pairs of eyes meet, one pair the colour of sapphires, the other pair the colour of emeralds.

Draco and Harry stare at each other for a moment, before Draco looks away and the moment is broken.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

 _Dear Mum and Dad,_ Draco scribbled on a piece of parchment.

 _I told Harry that I'd write this because he's hanging out with all his new friends and doesn't have time for that stuff._ It was the day after they had arrived at Hogwarts, and he'd only spoken to his brother once.

 _As you've probably figure out, we're in different houses. I'm a Slytherin, and he's a Gryffindor with Ron._

 _Harry's already made lots of friends, I think because everyone knows who he is. And even though we have the same surname (half of it anyway) now everyone calls him Harry Potter, and they leave out the Malfoy bit._

 _Blaise, Gregory and Vincent are nice to me, and Professor Snape told me that he was Dad's friend. So don't worry about me, I've got friends too._

 _Say hello to Gran and the twins for me._

 _Love, Draco_

Draco folded the parchment and put it in an envelope. Writing their address on the front, he stood up and walked to the owlery.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

He got an answer the next day at breakfast.

 _Dearest Draco,_ It read.

 _We're glad you're settling down well. You make sure you travel around the castle with a few friends until you know you're way around. It's very big and confusing, and we wouldn't want you to get lost!_

 _Gran sends her love, and says that_ His mother's curly, neat writing stopped halfway through a sentence, and a line of ink suggested that somebody had snatched the quill away from her.

 _Narcissa, I may be old, but I'm not senile and I can write to him myself, thank you very much. Draco, don't let the popularity get to Harry's head. Goodness knows what that boy will do. He should be proud to be a Malfoy._

 _Thank you, Cassie._ His gran's messy writing was replaced with his mother's again. _Draco, if you need anything at all, just owl us and we'll send it! Celeste and Leo send their love. They've done a few drawings for you._

 _Don't eat all the sweets at once!_

 _Lots of love, Mum and Dad (and Gran, Leo, Celeste, and Dobby too of course.) xxx_

Draco smiled and carefully put the letter back into the envelope, and put the envelope in his bedside table drawer. He opened the small package they had sent.

Inside was three chocolate frogs, a deluxe packet of Bertie Botts and several Pumpkin Pasties. There was another envelope which he tore open, and a few galleons and two drawings fell out.

They were scribbles, really. A few stick figures, three with yellow hair, one with strawberry blonde, one with raven and the other with grey hair.

The other drawing was a big pink blob with a blue smiley face on it, with a big yellow sun in the corner.

Draco grinned and taped the pictures above his bed.

He sighed, and a lump formed in his throat. Ever since Harry had been sorted into Gryffindor, he'd had an odd feeling in his chest, one that made him feel heavy and tired and sad.

He assumed it would go away in a few days, when he'd adjusted.

 **Sorry for not updating in a while! I made this chapter a bit longer. Think of it as a Christmas present.**

 **Merry Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, or whatever you lovely people celebrate. Hope everyone's holidays are filled with joy and food and presents and that stuff.**

 **Happy New Year!**

 **I may not update for a while as my family and I are going away on holiday for a week or so and I'm not sure if I'll be allowed to bring my laptop. There might not even be wifi! *** **gasp***

 **I'd just like to thank everyone who has read, reviewed, followed and favourited my story this year. It means so much, and I can already tell that 2018 is going to be a great year.**

 **Happy Holidays, my dear friends! Mwahs!**


	23. Chapter 23: Red Ball

"I'm so excited!" Pansy chattered at the breakfast table. "Draco? Are you excited?"

"What?" He asked, snapped out of his daydream.

She huffed and rolled her eyes. "Are you excited?"

"About what?" Draco frowned, and had a bite of his toast.

"Learning _Quidditch."_

"What? Oh. Yep." He said, and took another bite. "Um, I'm going to go back to the common room before class," Draco said, standing up.

He waved and grabbed a piece of bacon before leaving the Great Hall.

"Right." He muttered to himself. "To the library."

He entered the massive library and sighed in relief at the quietness. There were only three other people: a small, bushy-haired girl in his year, a tall, dark-haired Hufflepuff boy a couple of years above him and a red-headed Ravenclaw girl.

He sat in one of the squashy armchairs and got out his book, _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them._

The bushy-haired girl looked at him from behind her book when he sat down. He felt her gaze burning into his forehead and when he looked up, she didn't look away.

Draco looked at his watch. "Oh no." Class started in two minutes. "Um, I don't know if you've got Quidditch next…" He said to the girl.

"Oh, yes. I do. Hermione Granger, Gryffindor." She stuck out her hand, and he shook it.

"Draco Malfoy, Slytherin."

She looked surprised. "Oh! I know you! You're-"

"Harry Potter's brother, yes. Look, I don't mean to be rude, but class starts in," he looked at his watch again "One minute."

Her eyes widened and she shoved her book into her bag and jumped up. "Dammit! Come on!" She said, and ran out of the library. He followed her.

"NO RUNNING IN THE LIBRARY!" Madam Pince screeched after them.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

They were only a minute or so late. Madam Hooch looked at them sharply with her odd, piercing yellow eyes, and they recoiled at her cool gaze.

"Nice of you to join us, Mr Malfoy, Ms Granger." She said coolly.

They ducked their heads and mumbled their apologies before joining their respective houses.

"Now, as I was saying. Hold your hand over your broom and say up."

"Up. _Up._ Up." Draco said, and on the third time the broom flew into his hand. At home, they didn't bother with this nonsense. They just got on their brooms and flew to their heart's content.

"Where _were_ you?" Blaise hissed in Draco's ear."

"Library." He muttered.

"But you said you were going to the common room."

Draco shrugged.

"Now when I get to one, push off the ground gently. Do NOT go too high." She ordered firmly.

"Three… two…"

A round-faced Gryffindor boy seemed to panic, and pushed off on two, as hard as he could. He shot into the air like a rocket, and something red fell out of his pocket and rolled onto the grass.

Draco scooped it up before it got stepped on and put it into his pocket. He'd give it to Harry tomorrow.

"Mr Longbottom! Mr Longbottom, come down right now!"

Draco heard Blaise sniggering beside him, and he scowled. " _Stop it."_ He hissed.

Blaise gave him a weird look. "You're standing up for the dumb squib? Pathetic."

Draco didn't answer, and instead stared fearfully into the sky as Neville's broom went higher and higher.

Neville yelped as he hit the ground. Draco winced when he heard a sickening crunch.

Madam Hooch rushed over to him. "Broken wrist." She said grimly, helping Neville up and sighing when she saw his tear-streaked face.

Neville's hand was bent at a horrible angle, and Draco felt sick looking at it.

"I'm taking Mr Longbottom to the hospital wing. The rest of you, don't move."

When they were out of sight, Blaise snatched the red ball out of Draco's pocket.

"Hey!" Draco protested. He tried to grab it back, but Blaise was taller than him and stood on the tips of his toes.

"That's… that's not yours." Draco said weakly.

Blaise laughed. "Don't tell me that you're standing up for the little freak!"

"Oi!" Ron yelled. The Gryffindors stormed towards them.

"Give that here, Zabini." Harry said calmly, holding out his palm.

"Oh, I'm _Zabini_ now am I, just like you're _Potter?"_ Blaise hissed, and jumped onto his broom.

He zoomed a couple of meters above their heads, and Harry followed, despite the protests of Draco and the Granger girl.

"Harry!" Draco yelled. "You'll get us all into trouble!"

Harry ignored him, and chased after Blaise.

Blaise wasn't laughing anymore. Harry had caught up to him, and was showing of his Quidditch skills as he tried to get the red ball back.

"You want it? Then have it!" Blaise said, smirking, and threw the ball as far and hard as he could. It was gaining speed as it got closer to the ground.

Harry pointed the broom into a sharp dive, almost directly down.

The first years were all either yelling at him or Blaise, or both of them.

 _He's going to crash!_ Draco thought. It certainly looked that way, until Harry pulled out of the dive before he slammed into the ground.

The red ball was clutched firmly in his hand, and a triumphant grin was plastered on his face.

The grin melted into a worried frown when Professor McGonagall demanded that he come with her.

Draco gulped nervously at his brother's expense, and watched their backs as they walked into the castle.

0o0o0o0o0o

"First you lie to us about going to the blasted _library,_ and now you stand up for a freak?" Blaise demanded when they got into the common room.

Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy were standing behind Blaise. Crabbe and Goyle had identical dumb looks on their faces, and Pansy had her hands on her hips.

"First of all, he isn't a freak. And I'm allowed to go to the library."

"Yeah, but you lied!"

"That's what Slytherins do! Or is there something you need to tell us?"

He noticed that Pansy was holding back giggles. Crabbe and Goyle looked confused, or maybe dazed, like they'd been hit over the head with a heavy book.

Blaise spluttered in fury, his face going bright red.

"I'll see you at dinner." Draco muttered, and stalked out of the common room, his bag bumping against his hip.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

When he got there, he sat down at a desk and pulled out the homework they'd gotten for the day.

It was History of Magic, and Draco felt overwhelmed at all of the dates and details.

"Hello." Someone said, and Draco looked up. It was Hermione Granger.

"Hi." He said softly.

"Can I sit?" She asked.

"Sure."

She sat down, and pulled out a roll of parchment, a page of notes, and a quill and ink.

They didn't speak. The only sounds were the scratching of quills and the rustling of paper.

Draco pinched the bridge of his nose and rested his head on the desk.

"Do you need help?" Hermione asked.

He shook his head. "No thanks."

"Are you sure? Because if you need my help I'm quite good at History of Magic."

"I said that I don't need your help." Draco said.

"Well fine! I'm sorry for trying to be _nice."_

And with that, she put her things in her bag and stormed out of the library, nose in the air.

 **Howdy. Did you like the chapter? Let me know! Okay bye.**


	24. Chapter 24: Ink

"She always disappears." Ron hissed to Harry in the common room. He was staring at Hermione's retreating back as she climbed out of the portrait.

"Why do you care?" Harry asked, grinning. Ron shrugged. "Oh! Do you… _like_ her?"

Ron's face went bright red. "What?" He spluttered. Even the tips of his ears were blushing. "No! No."

"Are you _sure?_ " Harry said in a sing-song voice. "I can go tell her, if you want! The house elves can set up a nice, _romantic_ dinner for you!" He teased, chuckling at Ron's protests.

"Harry! Stop!" Ron hit his friend on the arm with his potions book, and glowered at him.

"Okay, okay. Settle down, Ronald. I won't tell anyone about your crush."

"I do NOT have a crush!"

"Sure."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Draco lifted his hand in greeting when Hermione sat on the chair next to him.

"Hi," she said, arranging her parchment and quill on the table.

"Hi," Draco replied, not looking up from his book.

"Have you already finished Charms?" Hermione asked him.

"Yup," he said.

"Could I borrow your notes? I was away that session." She didn't tell him why, and Draco didn't ask.

"Yeah, of course." He rummaged through his bag and pulled out the notes, handing them to her.

She smiled at him in thanks, and he went back to his book while she started scribbling furiously on a piece of parchment.

"You know," she said after a while. "It's funny. Harry seems more like the type to read out of you two, but I barely ever see him with a book in his hand outside of class."

Draco looked up from his book. "Really? That is funny. At home he spends most of his time in the library."

"And do you?" She inquired.

He sighed. "I suppose I could spend a _little_ more of my time there. But I often play Quidditch with my Mum."

Hermione nodded thoughtfully, and looked into space while absently sucking on the end of her quill. A droplet of ink splattered onto Draco's notes and he winced as the splatter grew. The ink seeped into the parchment.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry!" Hermione cried, ignoring Madam Pince's glares and loud shushing. She set the quill down on the table and took her wand out of her bag.

" _Scourgify!"_ She said. There was a small flash of light and when it cleared, the parchment was spotless once more.

"I'm sorry." She said again.

Draco smiled. "It's fine."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Were you in the _library_ again?" Blaise asked him at dinner.

"Yes, I was, as a matter of fact," He said, taking a mouthful of potato.

"You're such a nerd, Draco," Blaise sniggered.

"Thank you." Draco said, and opened his book, propping it up against the water jug.

He set the bookmark next to his plate, and snatched it up just as quickly when Pansy reached for it.

"Ooh. He's feisty today," she told Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle, and they sniggered.

"Why does it matter, anyway?" Draco demanded. He put his book back in his back and wrapped the rest of his dinner in a napkin, putting that in his bag too.

He stood up, and left the hall, to the stares of the Slytherins.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

He sat by the lake. It was a beautiful day, and the sky was orange and pink as the sun set over the water.

This time, he didn't open his book. He stared at the water as he ate, occasionally breaking pieces of food off and throwing it into the water for the Giant Squid to eat.

It still wasn't dark when he finished, so he took out a piece of parchment and began to write.

 _Dear Mum, Dad, Gran, Celeste and Leo,_

 _Hello! How are you all?_

 _I'm currently sitting by the lake as I write this, eating a potato. It's very nice-the sun is reflecting off of the water and the trees are casting strange shadows as it gets lower in the sky._

 _How are things at home? Has Harry written yet?_

 _Anyway, I was wondering if you could send my book about muggle animals, and the one that you read to us after you told us it was Aunt Lily's favourite growing up. I can't quite remember the name, but I do remember thoroughly enjoying the tale. I would like to read it again._

 _Okay, it's getting darker now, and soon enough I'll get eaten alive by mosquitoes, so I'll sign off now._

 _Lots of love, Draco._

 _P.S Harry says hello._

He looked out at the lake one last time. There was a single tentacle sticking up out of the water, waving around in the air as it searched for more food.

Draco grinned at it as he stood up. "I haven't got any more food!" He yelled across the lake. "You ate it all!" he turned around and headed up the green lawn, back to the school building.

Behind him, the tentacle waved once more and slowly retreated back down into the water.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

 _Dear everyone,_

 _I'm sorry. There are too many names to write._

 _Anyway, I have good news! McGonagall saw me flying and she gave me a place on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. I am now the youngest seeker for a century!_

 _Ron's a bit jealous, although he'd never dare to admit it._

 _Anyway. I was wondering if I could stay here for the Christmas holidays? I know it's a few months away yet, but I wanted to check because Ron and his brothers are staying here because Mr and Mrs Weasley are visiting Charlie in Romania with the dragons._

 _Also, could you send my fingerless leather gloves? I've got blisters on my hands from Quidditch practice._

 _Bye! Love you!_

 _-Harry._

 _P.S Ron told me to say hello for him. So hello from Ron._

Hermione hummed a song under her breath as she sat by the fire. It was a Halloween song her parents always sung to drive her crazy.

Normally she hated the song, but it was weird to not celebrate this holiday with them. She found herself missing her parents, even though they only let her have sugar-free lollies.

They also never let her trick-or-treat, but she was fine with that because nobody in her neighbourhood really did. They didn't do costumes either, although once her Dad dressed up as the Boogeyman to make her laugh.

So at Halloween they used to curl up on the couch and watch movies while eating popcorn and sweet apples, sipping tea.

She rested her head on her fist, and stared at the fire for a bit. She looked at the time on her watch, and jumped when she realised that if she didn't hurry, she'd be late for class.

Hermione jumped up, grabbed her bag, and ran out of the common room, smoothing her hair down as she ran, because it had an unfortunate tendency to frizz up.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Pansy, Tracy, Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle were dancing around the fire singing Halloween songs before the feast.

Draco rolled his eyes, and retreated to the common room when they began singing the same line on repeat.

He muttered vile things under his breath, things that aren't to be repeated anywhere, except maybe if you stub your toe on the corner of the door or if somebody is singing the same, annoying song line over and over again like a broken record.

He did his homework for a while, and went to the feast by himself, making sure to stay a good distance behind his friends so they didn't see him.

The feast was unremarkable, apart from the food and decorations. Carved pumpkins were filled to the brim with assorted sweets even during dinnertime, and Crabbe and Goyle filled their pockets to the bursting.

He took a handful of peppermints and put them in his bag for later.

The doors burst open, and quiet fell in the hall as Quirrell rushed into the hall shrieking his lungs out.

"Troll! Troll in the dungeon! Troll!" He yelled, waving his arms hysterically above his head. "TROLL!" He screamed, a panic in his face that made Draco's stomach drop like he was doing a Wronski Feint. "Thought you ought to know." His eyes rolled back in his head and he dropped to the floor in a faint, his head catching the side of the chair.

 _It's a miracle his turban didn't come off,_ Draco thought as the hall evolved into loud hysteria. Many people were screaming as if they'd just seen the Dark Lord himself.

He noticed Blaise looking very frightened. His face was bright red and all scrunched up like he was trying not to cry.

Draco felt smug before Dumbledore stood up and yelled after silence fell. He'd made sparks that echoed around the hall with a great BANG!

"SILENCE!" Dumbledore boomed. Those who weren't quiet after the sparks soon shut up, and soon enough everyone's eyes were on the headmaster. "Silence." Dumbledore said again.

"Everyone is to report to their common rooms immediately with their heads of house, and nobody, I repeat, NOBODY, is to leave, under any circumstances," Dumbledore said. The other teachers nodded. "Hufflepuff, you go first. Then Ravenclaw, the Gryffindor, then Slytherin. I leave Madam Hooch in charge." Madam Hooch nodded, and with that, he, McGonagall and Snape exited the hall, pausing only to revive Quirrell and take him with them.

The students nodded solemnly, and the Hufflepuff students stood and exited the hall in a cloud of yellow and black. Madam Hooch nodded at the Ravenclaw table, and they left too.

Slytherins were the last to exit, and in that time, Crabbe and Goyle had taken as many sweets they could carry.

The Gryffindors were right in front of them, and Draco tried to spot his brother, but couldn't see him.

 _He's probably just ahead in the crowd._ Draco thought. He was jarred out of his thoughts when he heard Pansy's panicked whisper.

"Has it occurred to anyone that the Slytherin common room is in the dungeons?" She demanded, and Blaise looked even more terrified.

"No." Blaise squeaked. All the colour drained from his face. Crabbe and Goyle glanced at each other worriedly.

Draco sighed. "That would be why Professor Sinistra is accompanying us." He pointed.

"Oh." Pansy said, and walked off, probably to go gossip with Tracy.

 **Hi! Sorry for the delayed update. In return, I made this chapter extra long.**

 **I'm pretty happy with how this chapter turned out, and I hope you guys enjoy it!**

 **Bye bye bye!**


	25. Chapter 25: Time

Draco took his usual seat at the library. He looked around for her, but she wasn't there yet. She was usually here before he was, but ever since Halloween when she'd made friends with Harry and Ron she'd been turning up later and later.

She stopped rushing meals like he did, and ate slowly, talking to Ron and Harry and some of the other Gryffindor kids.

She turned up ten minutes after that. "Sorry I'm late!" She said breathlessly. "I got caught up in conversation. Ran all the way here."

"Whatever are you sorry for? I'm always late." Draco said to make her feel better.

"Oh, no you're not," She said, taking stuff out of her bag and sitting down. "In fact, you're always here the same time, just about."

Draco smiled. "If you say so." He stood up. "I'll be back." He said.

He wandered off to the bookshelves, and huffed when he saw a book that had been put back on the shelf roughly, spine facing the back of the shelf. "How can anyone expect to pass their exams," he put the book in correctly, making sure to be careful of the already bent cover "if they can't even put a book in a shelf the right way?"

He ran his fingers along the dusty spines, searching for the right book. He wasn't searching for a particular book-just one to read, take his mind off things.

A title caught his eye. It didn't look like it belonged on this shelf-it was soft grey colour, in vast contrast to the dusty, ugly browns and reds of the other books on the shelf.

He pulled it out, and looked at it. _The Diary of Anne Frank,_ it read. He turned it over to read the back, but there wasn't a description.

He opened the front cover to see the list of past borrowers, but it wasn't there. It didn't seem to be a library book, but it looked very worn and well-loved. _It must be good._

He didn't read a page. He trusted the opinion of whoever's book this was.

Draco took it to the front desk. "Madam Pince?" He said tentatively. She whirled around, a grimace on her face, as if talking to him was the very last thing she wanted to do. He put the book on the desk and pushed it towards her.

"I found this book. It doesn't appear to be a library book." She picked it up, and as she did, a note fell out of it and floated down to the library desk.

They looked at each other, and Madam Pince snatched the note up in her claw-like fingers.

She read the note, her eyebrows raised, and passed it to Draco when she was done.

 _To whomever finds this,_

 _This book has touched me in no way a book has ever, and it is time for me to pass it on so somebody else may get what I got from it._

 _It tells the true story of Anne Frank, a young girl living in an attic during World War Two. This is her diary, and it contains notes and poems depicting her experiences during the war._

 _It reminded me that even though my life may seem tough at times, it could be so much worse, and you just need to look for the light at the end of the dark tunnel. Anne Frank saw hope and love while she was experiencing horrible things, and it taught me to always look for the good in people._

 _This isn't a library book, and I'm putting it in the very back shelf of the library, where hardly anyone ever goes. I hope that the person who finds it is the right one._

 _From a well wisher._

Draco looked up from the piece of paper with wide eyes. It wasn't parchment.

Madam Pince shrugged. "There isn't any room for clutter in here. You can have it." She handed him the book, and Draco tucked it under his arm.

"Thank you." He said, and she nodded and turned her back.

Draco went back to his seat, and opened the book. Hermione peeked at the cover.

"I've heard of that book. I wanted to read it, but Mum told me it was terribly sad and wouldn't let me."

"Oh." Draco said. "I'm still going to read it."

"I wonder what a muggle book is doing in the library." Hermione said thoughtfully.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Draco huddled in front of the fire in the common room, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. The common room was always cold-but no too cold to be unable to adjust. But as it got closer to Christmas, it soon got almost unbearably cold. And Draco wasn't quite good enough to perform a warming charm yet.

He sat as close to the fire as he could without risking setting himself on fire. His cheeks felt warm and his back felt cold.

He had pushed the couch forwards and was leaning against it, with the book he found and a packet of almonds he took from lunchtime.

He was halfway through the diary already, and the person who left it was right. It was an amazing thing to read, and scary because all the things that happened to her were true. Draco shuddered at the thought of being shut in for so long.

Draco flipped pages, munching on almonds, while the flames in the fireplace got lower and lower and the common room darker and darker.

His eyelids got heavy, and before he knew it, his head was lolled back onto the couch and the book fell from his hands. He snored softly for a while, before waking with a jolt. He glanced at his watch. 1 am. His mum wouldn't be happy if she knew how late he stayed up.

Deciding it was time to go to bed, he gathered the remaining almonds and picked up the book, and headed up to the dormitory.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

 _Dear Harry,_

 _You can stay if you really want to. We were looking forward to seeing you, but you can stay there with the Weasleys if you really want to._

 _The twins are a bit upset. They made you drawings._

 _Write back this time!_

 _Love, Mum, Dad, Gran, Leo and Celeste._

Narcissa had just finished writing the letter when Lucius entered the study. "Hello, darling."

"Hello, my beautiful Cissy." Lucius said, taking her hand and spinning her around.

"I'm guessing the deal went well?" She laughed.

Lucius nodded. "Yes, they agreed to buy the house for an extra two hundred galleons."

"That's wonderful!" Narcissa exclaimed, kissing him on the cheek. "I wrote a bit more of the book today. It's coming along really well!" Narcissa had been writing a novel for the past few months.

"Oh, and I wrote back to Harry," she said. The happy smile fell from her husband's face.

"Are we still letting him stay?"

"Yes." Narcissa said firmly. "He's got independence now, Lucius, and we have to start letting him make his own decisions."

"Narcissa, he's eleven. And we're his parents who haven't seen him for three months."

"Yes, Lucius I know that, but-"

Lucius cut her off. "You do realise that it'll be another three months before we see him again, right?"

"I know that. And I miss him, but as I said, he's got to start making his own decisions. We can talk to him if they're the wrong ones, or possibly life-changing ones, but this is neither. He's just a boy who wants to spend Christmas with his best friend."

"I know, Narcissa, my goodness, how many times have you said that already?"

"Not enough for you to listen, evidently." She crossed her arms and took a step back from him.

"We are his parents, and he is our son. As I am his father, I say he should spend Christmas with his family." Lucius said, his voice getting louder.

When most people are angry, their voices get louder and louder until they're shouting. Their faces got red, and they felt hot all over, like fire.

Narcissa, however was a different story. When she got angry, her voice got softer and softer, dropping to almost a whisper, and instead of presenting her emotions with yelling, she expressed them with tone. She didn't feel hot all over when she was angry-she felt cold. Often a shiver would run down her spine, and that is when she would use a certain tone that could make almost anyone stop and listen to her.

"I know you are his father, Lucius." She said quietly, looking him dead in the eye. "But I am his mother. And I say that he is allowed to make his _own_ decisions."

Lucius narrowed his eyes. "Fine. I am _not_ happy about this." With that, he turned, and walked out of the room briskly.

Narcissa sat down at the desk and buried her face in her hands. They hadn't had a heated argument like that for years, and now she felt sick with the guilt of it. She breathed in and out until the horrible feeling faded.

She placed the letter in the envelope and smiled when she folded up the twins' drawings. Celeste had drawn a thundercloud with a bolt of lightning setting a broom on fire. Narcissa guessed it was Harry's broom.

When Celeste had found out that Harry wasn't coming home for Christmas, she's pouted and thrown a tantrum. Leo's reaction had been much the same, except with more tears and less furious kicks and shrieks.

Leo had scribbled all over a piece of paper in blue and red and yellow, with a circle in the corner. Narcissa wasn't exactly sure what it was meant to be.

She yawned, and looked at the time. She had been intending to do some more writing before sending the letter off, but it was far too late. It was one in the morning.

After sealing the envelope with a stamp, she gave it to her owl, Artemis, and turned off the lights in the study. On her way out, she tripped on the chair leg and twisted her ankle, falling to the ground with a pained shriek.

She cursed under her breath and heard footsteps running up the stairs. "Cissa?" Lucius said worriedly, turning the lights back on. When they were on, he saw her sprawled out on the floor, her mouth twisted into a grimace.

He helped her up gently, and helped her sit on the sofa in the sitting room, propping her foot up with a pillow. He got some ice from the kitchen and gave it to her.

"Thanks." She said, taking it.

"Look," he said, taking her hand in his. She looked at him. "I'm sorry. You're right. He should be able to make his own decision. I shouldn't have yelled."

"I shouldn't have whispered," she said, and they both laughed.


	26. Chapter 26: Home Again

Harry and Draco stood awkwardly at the platform at Hogsmeade, waiting for the Hogwarts Express that would take Draco home.

They heard the whistle go off in the distance, and McGonagall yelled "Anyone not getting on the train, leave the platform now!"

"So, bye I guess," Draco said.

"Yeah. Merry Christmas. Tell everyone I'm sorry and I love them," Harry smiled.

"Will do. Merry Christmas, Harry," Draco said, and the two embraced somewhat awkwardly.

They waved, and Draco watched his brother retreat. This would be the first Christmas the two brothers spent without each other since Harry was adopted.

Draco shivered as a cold breeze ruffled his hair. He'd left his hat in his dormitory, and was sorely regretting it now.

The train pulled into the station in a cloud of steam and a toot of the whistle. Draco climbed aboard, and dragged the heavy trunk on with a heave.

He walked down the train searching for an empty compartment, and found one at the very back of the train. For some reason, the window was wide open and the seats were wet from the snow that had blown inside.

Draco cursed and ran to close the window. He slammed it shut, and pulled out his wand to dry the seats and get rid of the snow that hadn't yet melted.

He opened his book. Hermione had said that she was going home for Christmas, but he hadn't seen her on the platform or the train, so he assumed that she was further up the train. Or maybe she decided to stay at Hogwarts with Harry and Ron and the rest of the Weasleys.

He sighed. His parents had told him that he could invite a friend or two home for the holidays, but he said that he'd rather just spend time with his family. He had considered inviting Hermione, but then she'd said that she was so excited to see her parents at Christmas so he didn't want to make her feel guilty.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Draco!" He turned around sharply and saw his parents, who were standing near the gate. A broad smile took over his features, and he ran towards them and launched himself into Narcissa's outstretched arms.

"Mum! Dad!"

They caught the Knight Bus home and talked the whole way. Narcissa and Lucius noticed that Draco didn't talk about school as much as they expected him too. When they asked why, he just shrugged. "Nothing much to tell." And that was the end of it.

When they arrived at their home, the twins ran out of the house, screaming. Gran walked out after them, shaking her fists and cursing.

They had afternoon tea, and Dobby was overjoyed to see him again when he served their tea.

"Mum, can we set up the tree _now?"_ Leo whined, and Celeste nodded earnestly, cookie crumbs on her chin.

"I don't see why not." Narcissa had responded, and she and Lucius found the decorations in the cramped cupboard under the staircase.

"Oooooh, can we use the rainbow fairy lights?" Celeste asked. Leo frowned. "No, the blue ones." He said.

They bickered about it, until Lucius managed to make himself heard. "Enough! We can use both."

"Okay." The twins agreed, and Draco lifted each of them up so they could drape the lights around the branches.

Gran sneezed. "Waste of your bloody money, buying aa fresh tree every year. You know you could just charm it so it doesn't go rotten."

"Yes, Cassie, but it's lovely to go out and pick one together." Narcissa said, and Lucius nodded.

Gran waved her hand and pulled a face. "Blaaargh! You didn't pick it together this year, remember? So let me charm it for next year. Save your money."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

On Christmas Eve, more and more mysterious packages had arrived at the house and been put under the tree. The twins made it a game to see who could run off with the biggest one without getting caught.

They were caught every time, however, and paid no attention at all to the telling off they received, and giggled madly about it whenever the adult had left the room. Draco had been writing to Hermione, who had apologised profusely at not saying goodbye to him at the station. She had been at the very front of the train, like he guessed, and she hadn't been able to reach him through the crowd before he and his parents left the platform.

He had bought her a book about all the greatest witches and wizards to have ever lived. It was called _The Greatest Witches and Wizards to Have Ever Lived_. It was a new edition copy too, and it wasn't until the owl left when he thought bitterly that Harry must be mentioned in there.

Harry had written to them a few times, but not every day like he'd promised Narcissa he would. His mother still insisted on sitting in front of the fire in the library every evening and writing him a long letter in her best script.

Draco had been helping Dobby cook and bake, and had discovered that he was quite good at it. Even his Gran had complimented the apple crumble he made, which had surprised and pleased him because if his Gran said it was good, it was the truth. She normally had 'advice' for everyone (it was actually complaining) and she always said the exact, brutal truth.

He had shown his parents the book he found in the library. Narcissa had requested to read it, and she was halfway through it already.

Draco was glad to be home. He could lie in bed reading every morning if he wanted to, without being made fun of by the other boys in his dormitory. Well, Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle. Theodore Nott didn't make fun of him at all, and had even joined him and Hermione in the library a few times. He mostly hung out with Michael Corner and Anthony Goldstein, though.

He and Narcissa, and sometimes Lucius (depending on how cold it was outside) would fly outside every morning, sometimes throwing the quaffle, sometimes just flying. Narcissa had been chaser for the Slytherin team when she was at Hogwarts.

When she asked Draco if he was planning on joining the Quidditch team, he shrugged. He knew that Crabbe and Goyle and probably Blaise were going to try to get in, and he didn't want to get in their way more than he had to. Instead of telling her this, he just said that they probably wouldn't accept a second year. He didn't want her to worry about him, especially because she seemed a bit stressed for some reason.

She had let him read some of the book she was writing. It was based on a true story she'd been researching. A couple of centuries ago, a young woman had committed a crime (magic in front of a muggle child. The child had told his family that he'd seen a witch, and that was a lot of work for the ministry to cover out. It was also the third time she'd been seen) and was kicked out of the wizarding world and forced to live as a muggle. However, she had become a very successful painter in the muggle world, where she painted things that muggles said made them think of magic.

Draco had told her that he couldn't wait for it to be finished, and she'd promised to send him the very first copy when it was finished.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

Draco woke up with a start when the twins cannonballed onto his bed and landed on him quite hard. "Draco! It's Christmas!" Celeste shrieked, shaking him.

"Ow!" He groaned as Leo's elbow caught him on the arm. "Elbows…"

"Get up!" Leo yelled, grinning excitedly with his sister.

"Okay, okay." Draco said, throwing back the blankets. The twins cheered and ran out of the room as fast as they'd run in.

He got out of bed and walked downstairs, where his parents were drinking coffee in the living room.

Narcissa smiled at him and gave him a big hug. "Merry Christmas, Drakey." He hugged her back.

"Santa Claus came!" The twins shrieked, and he and his mother shared a grin. Lucius stood up and ruffled Draco's hair, before making his way over to the tree.

Narcissa and Draco followed. Gran was sitting in her chair, fluffy pink socks on her feet and mug of something in her hand.

She was smirking smugly for some reason, and Draco was a bit scared to ask her why. Her grin reminded him of a shark's.

Narcissa held up her hand at the twins when they started scrabbling at the presents, trying to find their names. "Wait." She said to them. "You need to be patient, okay?"

"But whyyyyyyyy?"Celeste whined impatiently. She looked longingly at the present in her arms, her hands hovering about it. She was longing to tear open the paper.

"Because nobody has gotten the camera out yet," she said, looking pointedly at Lucius, who nodded and rushed from the room to find it.

"Mummy…" Leo complained as he looked at the package with his name on the label.

"Patience, Leo."

It was then Lucius came back into the room, camera in hand. "Okay. Smile!" he said, taking a photo of the twins. "Draco, go stand with them."

He took a bunch of photos, the last one of all of them, including Dobby. Gran had insisted that Dobby joined them, ignoring the elf's protests. He had gone very red when Narcissa gestured for him to join them.

Lucius had held the camera up with one arm and grinned before clicking the shutter.

The last photo was lovely. It also captured the true Christmas spirit of the twins kicking each other in frustration as they argued over sofa space.

"Okay," Lucius said when the last, almost family photo was taken. "Go crazy."

The twins whooped and ran to the tree, ripping open wrapping and cheering at the presents hey got.

Draco received a new broomstick from his parents, and gaped when he saw it. "A Nimbus Two Thousand?" He spluttered, grinning like a madman. _I bet I'll be better than Harry if I practice heaps._

He also got a large stack of books, and Mrs Weasley had sent every member of the family a knitted sweater with their names on them.

They had sent the Weasleys a few new cookbooks and two boxes of chocolates. "Oh, look. Molly has put so much effort in. I feel a bit guilty now…" Narcissa had muttered to Lucius.

"Don't be, love," Lucius said. "You can write to her later. Don't stress about it." He'd said, kissing her forehead.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

When they'd thought that all the presents were gone, Gran's smirk had grown into a massive grin and she whispered something to Dobby who disappeared with a pop.

"What are you doing?" He'd whispered to her, and she'd told him to stop being nosey and to learn some patience.

He hadn't had to wait long, though. Draco appeared only a minute later, with a massive package. It was almost bigger than the sofa.

Lucius had gasped. "Mother, what on _earth_ is this?"

The smile had fell from her chin, and she looked a bit annoyed. "Well why don't you open the bloody thing and find out! That's what presents are for."

Lucius had grumbled, and the twins to great joy in peeling the colourful wrapping paper away.

The paper fell away to reveal a grand piano. Narcissa's eyes had widened.

"Mum! Thank you." Lucius had said, kissing his mother's wrinkled cheek. "It's just that none of us know how to play the piano."

Gran scoffed. "I know that, you idiot. It's for me," she said. She cackled when she saw the expression on her son's face. "I'm just joking, you fool. I'm going to teach you how."

 **YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA I LOVE CHRISTMAS.**

 **Yeah, I know it was almost a month ago, but I don't care, because you get to enjoy it now.**

 **I'm very pleased with this chapter, it was very fluffy, yes? Oh, and it's almost 2000 words. That's why I'm dragging out the author's note so much so that MAYBE WE CAN REACH 2000 WORDS PERHAPHS.**

 **Only ten more needed. Six more. Four more. Two more. Okay we're at two thousand now.**

 **I just realised that I could have made it two thousand much faster if I didn't use numbers. Dammit.**

 **Well, I have made a bit of a fool of myself, and it's over two thousand now, so I'm going to go.**

 **Adios.**


	27. Chapter 27: Andromeda

"No, Draco, that's F sharp. You're getting it confused with E… E is down here," Gran tapped a key, and he nodded. "Yes, that's right. Now, play lower C and lower G together… yes, and play F sharp in between the second time you play the chord."

"What." Draco says, squinting at the sheet music.

Gran huffs. "Well glaring at it's not going to help you! You should have let me teach you the notes first, like I suggested."

Draco says nothing, and tries to ignore the frustration bubbling up in his chest. "I just… can't do it!" He mutters, still glaring at the notes.

"It doesn't need to be perfect, boy. You've just started learning today, for heaven's sake!"

Lucius enters the room. "Is everything all right in here?" He asks them, and they look up from the grand piano, the new seat squeaking as they turn to face their son and father, respectively.

"Your son, son, is determined to get it perfect on his first day of learning—even though he wouldn't let me teach him the notes first."

"I'm good at playing by ear!" Draco protests.

Gran raises an eyebrow. "How do you know that? This is your first time playing the piano."

Draco opens his mouth to retort, but Lucius hurriedly cuts him off. "Alright now, why don't you have a bit of a break and have some lunch?" He says hastily, anxious to prevent an argument on Boxing Day.

Gran stands up, hand on her back. "My bloody back!" She hisses to the room in general. "I hate being old." She mutters, and hobbles off into the dining room. "I need a walking stick!" She yells over her shoulder.

They can hear her grumbling from the other room. Lucius shakes his head, and puts his hand on Draco's shoulder. "Are you okay?" He asks seriously.

Draco nods, and then shrugs. "Yes—it's just that… well, I get this funny feeling in my chest, and it tells me it needs to be absolutely perfect."

Lucius frowns. "You always were a little bit of a perfectionist. Harry was for a while too, but that stopped a while before Hogwarts, you remember?"

Draco nods. "He used to polish his broom until it was spotless, and then it would get all muddy anyway."

Lucius chuckles, and they make their way into the dining room for lunch. The twins are banging their forks on the table, chanting "We want ice cream! We want ice cream!" over and over again. Narcissa pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs. "For the last time, you two, you are not having ice cream for lunch. Or for dinner. And if you keep carrying on, there won't be any for dessert, because I'll have eaten it all."

Celeste yelps. "No Mummy, don't eat our ice cream!" Leo cries, and Celeste shrieks her agreement.

"And there also won't be any if you keep yelling." She says, pointing a finger warningly in their direction.

They nodded solemnly, and glanced at each other before returning their attention to their cutlery. Instead of smashing it against the table, they lay them down on the table, and Celeste delicately pats her mouth with a napkin even though they haven't eaten anything yet.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

 _ ***HARRY'S POV**_ _*_

Harry teared open the envelope Hedwig had delivered him after lunch, and eagerly unfolded the letter that fell out. There was another envelope inside, and though he wanted nothing more than to open it, he followed his Gran's rules and read the letter first.

 _Dear Harry,_

 _If you were expecting another present, you'll be in for a disappointment. Sorry._

 _Anyway, sweetie, here are some photos. Next holidays there's no choice in the matter—you're coming home. We miss you so much, dear._

 _We hope you had a grand Christmas, and tell the Weasley kids that we say hello!_

 _Lots of love,_

 _Mum, Dad, Draco, Celeste, Leo and Gran_

 _Xoxoxo_

Harry re-folds the letter and puts it back in the envelope, before opening the other envelope that accompanied it. A few moving photos fell out, and he laughed at one where the twins ran up to the camera each pulling grotesque faces.

He put the letter and the photos in his bedside-table drawer and closed it, before flopping back onto his pillows with a loud sigh. He missed them, he really did. This is the first Christmas without them since his adoption, and he doesn't remember anything before that.

Standing up, he puts on a coat, hat and gloves and grabs his Nimbus before going downstairs. Ron and the twins are eating in front of the fire, and they hear him as he enters the common room. "Anyone fancy a game of Quidditch?" he asks them, and they all stand up.

Five minutes later they're striding onto the Quidditch pitch. Despite how much Harry loves his friendships, and Quidditch, he can't help but wish Draco was here too.

0o0o0o0o0o0o

 ***DRACO POV** *

Draco and Narcissa were in the sitting room playing chess when Draco bursts out with a statement that didn't surprise her as much as it probably should have.

"Mum, I don't want to go back to school." Draco whispers, and Narcissa looks at him worriedly.

"Why? Tell me, sweetheart, what's going on?"

He shrugs. "I just don't want to go back."

Narcissa strokes his hair, and looks at him sternly. "Draco, I need you to talk to me. Please, I can't help you if I don't know how to."

He gulps. "Well… the kids in my dormitory, for starters. I'm not like them, Mum. They like to hurt people… I don't. I don't and I don't understand why they want me to."

Narcissa grabs his hand without even realising. "Have they hurt you?"

"No… not exactly…" Draco trails off, and doesn't fully meet his mother in the eyes.

"What do you mean, not exactly?" Narcissa demands, her voice soft.

"Not physically. But they wreck my stuff sometimes, and once they re-arranged my bookshelf and teased me when I got mad. They know I don't like mess, so they throw my clothes around my bed. Once they put my toothbrush in the toilet."

"Who is a part of this?" She asked him.

"Zabini, mainly, and Crabbe and Goyle are just like sheep. Not Theo, he doesn't take part in their 'pranks' but he does laugh at them sometimes." He replied.

"Can you tell me more about the pranks?" Narcissa inquired.

Draco sighed. "They like finding out what I'm afraid of and then they use it against me."

"And what do they do?" She asked, her voice getting softer and softer.

Draco looked at her—he recognised that tone of voice. She was _mad._ "They mess up my organisation and sometimes I'm late. They turn off all the lights when they leave the room and I'm the only one there. They close the curtains around my bed and charm them so I'm trapped. They put mud all around my part of the room. They put bugs in my clothes…" he trailed off. Narcissa's face had gone very white, and the only colour was the two red spots on her cheeks.

"Mum? Are you okay?"

She laughs. "Oh, darling, I'm livid. Tell me more. Tell me about your fears."

"Well…" Draco hesitates. "Mum…"

"Draco, please, darling, I want to help. I can't bear the thought of these little… these little _shits_ hurting you."

Draco's eyes widen. This is the first time his mother had ever swore in front of him, and though he'd heard all these words from his Gran, he'd never heard or expected to hear them from his mother.

"Sorry, darling, I shouldn't have sworn."

Draco gives a small chuckle. "It's okay, Mum."

"Can you tell me about your fears?"

"Well, I'm scared of being disorganised, and I hate the dark, being shut in and getting stuck, I don't like bugs, I don't like germs, I don't like being dirty. Most of these things, the whole germ thing in particular, I wasn't scared of until I went to school. Before then I was fine."

"Do you know why?" Narcissa frowns.

Draco shook his head. "No. But there's so many people, Mum… I wish they would go away."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

They were interrupted by the twins, and didn't speak about their conversation for the rest of the day. But the next day Narcissa woke Draco up early and told him that they were going out.

"Where are we going?" He asked her, curiously.

"You remember my sister Andromeda, don't you? We haven't seen her since the twins were babies," Narcissa told him.

"Yes, I remember her. She's the one who makes awesome quiche, correct? She sends it to us sometimes," He rubs his tummy.

Narcissa laughs. "Typical of you to remember the food, but yes. She's the one."

"Well, why isn't everyone else coming, if we haven't seen her for years?" Draco asks her.

Narcissa doesn't reply. She takes his hand and apparates, and soon they're standing in front of a large cottage with a beautiful flower garden, even in the Winter.

They ring the doorbell, and wait for a few moments before they hear footsteps. The door swings open and a woman stands in the doorway. She and Narcissa don't look much alike, although she bears a striking resemblance to his Aunt Bella. Her features are softer, though.

She and Narcissa squeal and embrace, and when they let go she looks at Draco. "You've grown up so much, my goodness! Look how tall! We'll have to put a brick on your head or you'll wind up taller than me!"

Draco laughs, liking his aunt already. "Come inside!" she gestures for them to enter, and rubs her arms, shivering.

The cottage is warm. It's not messy and chaotic like The Burrow, but it's just as cozy and welcoming. There are framed scribbles on the walls, and Draco recognises some of them as his siblings' and even a few that he remembers doing.

They enter the sitting room, and Andromeda puts the kettle on. "Tea? Coffee?" She asks them.

"Tea would be lovely, thank you." Narcissa says, smiling. "Draco?"

"Yes please, tea. Thank you."

Andromeda smiles. "So polite!" She makes three mugs of tea and sets them on the coffee table, as well as the teapot and a plate of biscuits.

"Did you get the letter I sent you yesterday?" Narcissa asks, and Andromeda nods.

"I did. I'm very sorry to hear about those dingbats at school, Draco."

He looks up slowly, and stops nibbling the edges of his biscuit. He takes a sip of tea, feeling awkward now that the focus is on him.

"Draco," Narcissa says gently. "What you were telling me yesterday, about your fears, that is, reminded me of Andromeda. A lot of what you said I distinctly remember Andromeda telling me years ago, when she was about your age, maybe a little bit older."

Andromeda nods. "You see, when I was eleven and I started at Hogwarts, I had a lot of the same fears that you do now. I was scared of people, mostly, and I was terrified of getting sick from all the germs. I hated Quidditch with a passion because the brooms were shared and so many other people had touched them before me. I learnt all about different diseases and convinced myself I had them. I refused to go to the infirmary when I was actually sick because of all the sick people who had been there.

"It got worse. I locked myself in the bathrooms in the mornings. I didn't want to leave. When I was about thirteen started having these thoughts that terrified me. There was a little voice in the back of my mind telling me to do terrible things to myself and to the people I love, and I didn't want to do these things."

Draco stares at her, forgetting about his tea. He hadn't told his mother about the scary thoughts he had. He had told her only the very basics of what was going on, and he supposed that she knew that.

Narcissa cuts in. "She was eleven when she told us about the germs and didn't tell us much else."

Andromeda nods. "There was so much that I kept to myself. I was too scared to tell anyone, and because people didn't know what was going on, they couldn't help me. It got worse and worse and it lasted until I was an adult before I finally found out that these things were part of a condition."

"You know what mental health is, right, Draco?" Narcissa asks him.

He shrugs. "I don't know much about it, no. I read a book once but I don't really remember, but I do know it's about, um… mind health?"

They both nod. "Yes. There are some illnesses that leave no physical marks. Some illnesses take place in your head. That's why, sometimes mental illnesses are so hard to detect."

"So what are you saying?" Draco asks hesitantly, eyes flickering back and forth between his mother and his aunt.

Andromeda clears he throat and looks at her sister and then her nephew. "Narcissa, I think maybe Draco feels uncomfortable. Do you think that I could talk to him alone for a moment?"

"Oh! Yes, of course. Is Ted home? I'll go have a chat with him, it's been awhile."

"He's in the greenhouse, round the back," Andromeda gives her a smile, and Narcissa returns it, standing up.

She kisses the top of Draco's head. "Sweetheart, if you feel uncomfortable, you can just say, alright? You know where I am if you need me."

She leaves the room, and Draco watches her tea swirl over the sides of her mug from when she put it down and dribble down the sides.

"Like I said before, it wasn't until I was an adult when I opened up to someone fully and found out what was happening to me. I found out that I have a condition called OCD, which stands for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I met people who had gone through exactly what I had gone through. I could talk about it. I didn't have to keep it to myself anymore. I found ways to deal with what was happening. I still have it, and no doubt I will have it forever, but over the years I've learnt to manage it. I've found strategies and I surround myself with people who understand and can help," she breathes out. "Draco, have you felt anything I've just described?" She asks him, gently. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

And he doesn't. He doesn't need to. The lump that had risen to his throat explodes, and, to his embarrassment, he finds himself crying in the arms of a person he barely knew and yet knew so well.

"There, there, Draco, it's okay." Andromeda whispers, patting his back, almost overcome with déjà vu. She had been in this position almost twenty years ago, about twenty years older than Draco was now, and she vividly remembers being so overwhelmed and relieved that _she's not the only one._

The tears settle, and Andromeda hands him a tissue, which he accepts gratefully.

"Can you tell me more about… about OCD, please?" Draco asks, his voice a little hoarse.

Andromeda nods. "It's a type of anxiety disorder where a person can be overly worried about seemingly simple things. An example of obsessiveness is constantly worrying that you've left the front door unlocked and you go back and check it many times and even though you know that it's locked you still have to go back and check. A compulsion is… how to explain this. A compulsion is an urge you can't resist to do something, like to go backwards and start something again if you haven't done it right."

"What do you mean by 'right'?" Draco asks her.

Andromeda sighs, and Draco notices that his hands are shaking. "Do you ever get the feeling, when you're doing homework or chores or something, that it's wrong, even though there's nothing visibly wrong about it?"

Draco nods. "Yes… and then I have to start again and do it over and over again until it's right."

"But sometimes you can't find 'right'?" Andromeda inquires, and he nods, and breathes out.

"I thought I was the only one." Draco whispers.

"So did I." Andromeda says.

Later, the three of them and Ted are sitting at the kitchen table eating homemade quiche and drinking lemonade.

"So how's Dora?" Narcissa comments.

Andromeda and Ted glance at each other and smile. "She's training to be an auror and she loves it."

Narcissa smiles and nods. "It's been a while since I've seen her! Gosh, she must be about twenty now?"

"She's twenty in February," Andromeda nods.

"Goodness, now I feel old!" Narcissa laughs.

 **Sorry it took me a whole term to update, I've been so busy and so tired lately. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!**

 **I hope that I've written this disorder accurately because I want to do justice to it. I know how it feels and how it affects people and it honestly annoys me so much when it's not represented properly on TV and in books and movies because it just adds to the long list of clichés.**

 **It's not only cleaning things and wanting everything to be tidy. There's much more to it, and people often confuse OCD with perfectionism. Let me say something—** _ **there is a difference.**_

 **Perfectionism is liking things to be just right. OCD is not being able to do anything until things are just right, and like I mentioned in the chapter, sometimes you can't find what right is.**

 **I've found very few books that show mental health accurately, and often, if it's mentioned at all, it's exaggerated or downplayed, and that annoys me so much, because it's a part of who you are and takes up so much of your life and your time.**

 **I'm not making this about me—I just want to do justice to all of the people who've gone through it, and I want you to know something.**

 _ **You aren't alone.**_


	28. Chapter 28: Back

It was a week after returning to school and the second time Draco had come back from the library to find his things thrown around the dormitory like a cyclone had hit. A set of his robes was carelessly crumpled on the floor, his bookshelf had been pushed over, parchment had been ripped to shreds and dumped onto his bed, which was soaked with honey.

The first time nobody had been in the dormitory to see him cry, and so that was what he did, fighting down the panic bubbling up in his chest as he picked up his belongings and returned them to their rightful places.

The second time, however, Theodore had come in and surprised Draco before he could throttle the sobs that shook him.

"Draco?" Theodore asked, surprise written all over his face. "Are you okay?" 

Draco jumped in shock and turned his face away so Theo couldn't see it. "Yeah. I'm fine," he said while wiping his nose on his sleeve.

Theodore didn't say anything, but he leant down and started to help Draco pick up his clothes from the floor. Draco's face remained impassive as the two boys cleaned the mess, and Theodore didn't mention the tear streaks on his friend's pale cheeks or his bright blue eyes that were bloodshot and rapidly blinking.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Hermione had been coming to the library a lot less since Christmas, and Draco didn't bring it up for fear of making her mad. The books she did read were strange ones she'd never shown any interest in before, most of them about witches and wizards of the twentieth century and all that rot.

He didn't bring that up either, and neither did she.

He and Andromeda often exchanged letters, and they spoke of ways and strategies to deal with his OCD and how to make it more manageable. She opened up some more about her own experiences with bullies and anxiety, and he could realte to her more and more. He kept her letters in a small wooden box he hid under a loose floorboard so his dorm mates wouldn't find them and tease him about it, or, which would be even worse, destroy them.

He didn't tell her or his parents much about the teasing, though, only little details, because no doubt they had their own things to worry about. He didn't want his problems to become their problems. No, he had to manage his problems on his own.

The end of the school year was nearing, and Hermione went from few library visits to practically none, and Draco supposed that she was kept busy with as much homework and exams as he was.

Theodore joined him sometimes, although Draco was suspicious that he only did so because he felt sorry for him. He knew that Quidditch was Theodore's passion, but he was grateful that Theodore was kind to him.

It didn't come as much of a shock when he heard that Harry was in the Hospital Wing, and he stayed with his brother until he woke up.

"Hello, Harry," he said, when his brother opened his eyes.

"Hi, Draco," Harry croaked. Draco handed him a glass of water which he gratefully accepted.

They talked happily for about fifteen minutes, and Harry told Draco of saving the Philosopher's Stone with Hermione and Ron, and of Nicholas Flamel, which explained Hermione's strange books and long absences from the library. What shocked him the most, however, was that Voldemort had been living on the back of Quirrel's head for a whole year.

"It still doesn't explain the garlic smell, though," Harry said thoughtfully, and Draco laughed.

Their parents were going to come later that day and take the two boys home a week early. Draco cheered in the delight of knowing he could escape from the boys in his dormitory a week earlier than he had anticipated, and although Harry was initially upset at the prospect of missing the feast, Lucius said that he wanted to catch up with Snape anyway and that he'd bring Harry on the last day.

They had lunch in Hogsmeade before they left, just the four of them, and each of the boys were allowed to choose a joke from Zonko's. Draco picked a leaky teapot for Gran that would probably get him murdered, and Harry picked an innocent looking baby doll that made a loud farting noise whenever you touched its nose. Leo and Celeste would adore it.

The twins ran at them screaming when they got home, and Gran had complained loudly at all of the noise. "I suppose I'll just say goodbye to any more afternoon naps." She told them as the hugged her hello. She hugged them back, however, and they knew that she loved them, no matter how much she denied it.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Harry got back into his old reading habits, and Draco lent him _The Diary of Anne Frank_ which took him a little over three days to read. Draco always wanted new books despite the growing stack on his bedside table and his overflowing bookshelves of books he had yet to read.

Despite the warm sun outside, the boys would normally stay inside reading, and their parents actually had to ban them from books for an afternoon so they'd go outside and do some exercise. They pouted at first, but soon enough they were playing Quidditch with their parents, Narcissa and Draco against Harry and Lucius.

Gran was sunbaking on the balcony and the twins were eating ice-creams and yelling out at them as they played.

The game had to stop when Lucius started wheezing and complaining of being too unfit for this stuff, and so they went inside for dinner and played Gobstones instead.

The next day, Narcissa told everyone that they were going to go visit her sister Petunia. "Now, Petunia is a squib, which means that—"

"—she was born to magical parents but has no magical ability herself." Harry finished.

"Yes, that's right, and sometimes she gets upset about this, so don't mention it, okay?"

The four children nodded. "Oh, and you probably don't remember your cousin Dudley. The twins haven't even met him, and he's your age, Harry and Draco."

They caught the Knight Bus there, and when they got off of it Celeste threw up in the gutter in front of the house. She started to cry, wiping her mouth on her sleeve and looking up at them all with her big blue eyes.

"Oh, Celeste!" Lucius said, patting her back and hastily and discreetly vanishing the puddle before any muggles noticed it. He rubbed her back and handed her a handkerchief to wipe her eyes with.

Narcissa rang the doorbell, and Petunia opened the door and gestured them inside, hugging her sister and kissing Lucius on the cheek. They sat down in the sitting room, and Harry and Draco sat next to each other, avoiding eye contact with their cousin.

Vernon shook Lucius's hand and kissed Narcissa on the cheek, and greeted the children with a strained smile, his big beefy face a reddish colour. Draco and Harry glanced at each other, noticing how fake their uncle's smile was, and returning it with smiles just as feigned.

The adults attempted conversation, the tension so thick you could have cut it with a knife, and the kids (well, Draco, Harry and Dudley, that is) sat there awkwardly looking at their feet and avoiding looking up at each other. The twins played hidey behind the couch and their squeals and laughs got louder and louder before Narcissa cleared her throat.

"Erm, Petunia, how about the kids go play outside? I'm sure they'd love it if Dudley showed them around."

Petunia's shoulders sagged with relief. She'd been far too polite to tell them so herself and she couldn't stand the thought of the twins making a mess and getting their smudgy fingerprints all over the beige-coloured, rather ugly couch.

"Yes, Diddy Darling, why don't you go show your cousins the yard?"

Dudley went very red at the nickname, and Draco and Harry avoided each other's gaze for fear of bursting out laughing. Harry was going very red in the face at the strain of it, and Draco's right eye was twitching comically.

The kids all stood up and they made their way into the backyard. Dudley still hadn't said a thing to them, and he awkwardly shifted from foot to foot as he watched the twins run around the yard.

"Is—is that a turtle?" Draco said finally, breaking their silence.

Dudley nodded. "Yes, his name's Sheldon. Mum named him," he added hastily, as an afterthought. "Oh, and he's actually a Greek tortoise."

"Do you like animals?" Harry asked tentatively, and Dudley nodded.

"Yeah. I wanted a dog, but Mum said they're too messy, so I kept asking and finally she agreed I could have a tortoise or a fish or something, but I chose Sheldon because fish are boring."

"I like fish." Draco said. "I like watching them swim."

"Do you have one?" Dudley asked.

"No."

"Then how do you know you like them?"

"I just know. We watch the goldfish at the pet store in town sometimes."

"I bet you don't know as much as I know about them. They have a three-second memory, you know," Dudley said knowledgably.

Draco shook his head in protest. "No they don't. That's actually a myth. They need a memory so they can evolve and survive. Anything that had a memory as small as three seconds would, inevitably, die."

"How do you know?" Dudley demanded.

"I know because I read a lot of animal books."

"Well, it's not true, anyway. The writers of the books must have lied. They only remember stuff for three seconds," Dudley said smugly.

Harry rolled his eyes, and cleared his throat at his brother when Draco opened his mouth to retort. Draco got his point, and remained silent, pursing his lips and screwing up his nose at the effort to not burst out with " _The authors are zoologists, you troll!"_

Dudley smirked. "You know I'm right, don't you," both the boys later laughed at their cousin's pettiness, and couldn't help but to feel sorry for him.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"What do you want to do for your birthday, Harry?" Narcissa asked when they got home.

Harry smiled. "Can I invite the Weasleys and Hermione over?"

Narcissa nodded. "Yes, of course. Draco, you can invite a friend over too, if you want."

Draco's birthday was a few months ago at school, but he didn't celebrate. His family sent him presents, of course, and Harry gave him sweets, but the thought of a party made him shudder. He couldn't think of anything worse.

He thought of inviting Theodore to Harry's party, but as they weren't really friends, he shook his head. "Those people are my friends." Theodore would probably just think even more that he was a weirdo if he asked, and since Theodore was practically the only person in Slytherin who was nice to him, he couldn't risk it.

Narcissa's brow crinkled, but she said nothing else about it. "Okay then."

Later that evening, when the children were in bed, she and Lucius were in the sitting room, Narcissa with her manuscript, Lucius with a pile of paperwork. The room was quiet apart from the muffled piano music from Gran's private sitting room, and the rustling of paper.

Narcissa decided to break the silence. "Lucius, I'm worried about Draco."

"You're always worried about Draco," Lucius replied, not looking away from the papers he was filling out.

Narcissa frowned. "I have reason to be." When Lucius didn't reply, she glared at him, vaguely noticing that the music from the next room had stopped. "Have you noticed how antisocial he's become? He locks himself away in his room all day. I think he's getting bullied at school."

She awaited a reply, and was met with nothing. She Glared at him again, and cleared her throat.

Lucius looked up when he heard her clear her throat impatiently. "What?" he asked her, confused. "Why are you glaring at me?"

"Have you not listened to a thing I've been telling you?"

He sighed. "Cissy, I really need to get this paperwork done. The ministry is really busy at the moment."

"You care more about your work than you care about your children," she muttered as he turned away from her again. 

"Sorry, what was that?" Lucius demanded.

"Nothing, nothing, continue with your very important papers. I'm going to bed."

Without saying goodnight, she gathered her manuscript into her arms. Before heading upstairs, she poked her head into Gran's sitting room. Gran was perched on a small, green sofa, her legs elegantly crossed at the ankles, her chin high. She was wearing the electric-blue nightgown patterned with ducks that the twins had given her for her birthday a month before, and she still managed to look regal and poised.

"Cassie?" Narcissa said, confused.

"Sit here, dear."

Narcissa was even more confused. Cassie never called anyone 'dear', especially not Narcissa, and she certainly never told anyone to take a seat.

"Cassie?"

"For goodness' sake, girl, sit down. And close your mouth, you look like a goldfish when you blubber like that. Sit _down,"_ Lucius's mother demanded.

Now that was more familiar than 'take a seat, dear'. Narcissa sat. "Cassie, what are you do-"

Cassiopeia pointed her wand at the door. She uttered a spell under her breath, so low that Narcissa couldn't hear it, and the door was engulfed in dark pink, silent flames. They flickered and danced, and didn't spread any further than the wooden door.

Narcissa jumped to her feet. "Cassie!" She said, aghast.

"For heaven's sake, Narcissa, I said sit down!"

Narcissa didn't feel that it would be smart to argue with Cassie at this point. She sat back down again, and looked at her mother-in-law with raised eyebrows.

"Don't look at me like that. Now. You're going to answer all of my questions honestly."

"Cassie-?"

"Is that the only word you know how to say?"

"No."

"Good. I was getting worried."

"Cassie, explain yourself!" Narcissa demanded, her voice annoyed.

"Oh, you can say four words! I'm _so_ proud of you, darling." Cassie remarked sarcastically.

"I don't understand why you're talking to me in this manner, or why you set the bloody door on fire!"

"Have you not heard of magic, my dear? I simply casted a spell that will keep everything we say inside this room. Nobody beyond these four walls will hear a thing we say."

"Why?"

"You'll find out if you'd just let me speak!"

"Okay, okay."

"Now. You're going to answer all of my questions honestly."

Narcissa sighed. She nodded, not wanting to annoy Cassie further. She might be old, but she was a very talented witch and hexes were her specialty. And Narcissa didn't fancy growing pus-filled boils all over her face right at this point in time.

"Now. Question one. Is Draco alright?"

"Have you heard of obsessive-compulsive disorder?"

"Yes."

"Well, Draco has been struggling with it pretty severely lately. I've been taking him to my sister Andromeda's, and she's been talking to him about it as she suffers with it as well. So no, Draco's not one hundred percent at the moment."

Cassie nodded thoughtfully. She didn't say anything for a moment, and Narcissa didn't talk.

"Okay," Cassie said after a while. "Question two. Has Harry and Draco's relationship changed since they started at Hogwarts, or am I simply going senile?"

"You're not going senile. Harry has a more solid friendship with the Weasley boys because they're all in Gryffindor, and Draco's not yet adjusted to being separated from Harry just yet. Harry told me that some days he doesn't even see Draco."

Cassie nodded again. "Question three. Has your relationship with Lucius changed since the boys started at Hogwarts? Or am I losing my faculties?"

"Honestly, Cassie, you're probably losing your faculties regardless of my answer," Narcissa muttered. "I don't think you have any right to be asking me this."

"Narcissa, I live in the same house as you. You are the mother of my beloved grandchildren. You are my kind, clever, beautiful daughter-in-law. You are the woman who persuaded my son away from the Dark Lord, probably saving his life in the process. You're like my daughter, Narcissa, and no, you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to, but I care about you as much as I care about my son."

Narcissa stared at Cassie for a moment, in disbelief at what she had just heard. She shook her head. "Lucius and I have been arguing more often lately, that's all. It's not a big deal, everybody argues with their spouse. Quite normal. We're just stressed what with everything going on at the moment."

"If you say so. Well, if you need help or money or anything, I have plenty in the bank. And I'm still quite sane, regardless of my age."

And with that, she stood up, put out the pink fire with a wave of her wand, and exited the room, her duck-covered nightgown billowing out behind her dramatically, leaving Narcissa alone to process what had just happened.

"What on earth has my life come to?" Narcissa whispered to herself. "It isn't possible to have any more surprises, surely."

She was very, very wrong about that.

 **As you've probably guessed by now, I don't have an update schedule. And I honestly doubt I ever will, so for that I apologise, hahaha.**

 **I just want to say thank you to everyone who's stuck with this story so far, read all of the chapters no matter how crappy, left wonderful reviews that make me smile, and helped me become a better writer with your tips and suggestions.**

 **I say this all the time, but I'll try to update more regularly, and you've probably heard these excuses thousands of times from me, but I've been very busy lately and struggling with writer's block.**

 **I started at a new school (I'm the Weird New Girl and my only friends are the librarians, and I honestly don't mind) and I get hardly any homework, which is super awesome and a huge lot of stress off of my shoulders. I'll work on new chapters whenever I get the chance.**

 **Farewell for now and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!**


	29. Chapter 29: Party

Draco cracked his knuckles as he paced around his bedroom, a million thoughts and worries and contemplations whirling around his mind like a starving cyclone desperate to gobble up every little crumb of his sanity.

 _People, there are people downstairs, people I'm not related to, people who aren't ones I know, people that are in my house right now talking to my family and breathing my air-_

He hissed, realising that he had chewed one of his fingernails so much it started to bleed.

 _They'll think I'm weird, they'll make fun of my hair, they'll think I don't like them, I should be a recluse when I'm older away from people, they need to go home right now-_

His bedroom door swung open and he jumped, startled. "Draco, you're missing out. Everyone's here now. Come and be social," Lucius reached out to his son from the doorway.

"Come downstairs, Draco, and say hello. Stop being such a hermit." Draco looked at his father with wide eyes, and after a moment accepted his hand.

 _No no no don't look at me, nobody look at me, don't don't don't I SAID NO-_

"Hi Hermione."

"Oh, hi, Draco! How are you?" Hermione said, smiling.

 _Terrible please go away, not just you, all of you need to GET OUT RIGHT NOW, AWAY FROM ME away from me please please please go so I can breathe again-_

"Not too bad, how about you?"

"Yeah, I've been good. My parents and I went and stayed in a beach house down in Wales for a week and that was really nice, although the sea was a bit cold for my liking. What have you been up to?"

 _Contemplating the meaning of life and why everyone is expected to be able to function while successfully holding conversations with other human beings, oh and crying, I've been doing a lot of crying which has been really relaxing, thanks for asking-_

"Oh, nothing much. Just reading and moping around the house, mostly. Read any good books lately?"

"Yeah, actually, I started reading the autobiography of Helga Hufflepuff and it's really interesting. I also read _Hogwarts: A History_ for the sixth time. Can't beat the classics!"

 _For heaven's sake I literally could not give one dragon dropping I don't even know why I asked because I could not care even a teeny tiny little bit but for politeness's sake I did at least ask so can you shut up now, please, before I mess everything up-_

"That's true! I've worn out my copy of _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them._ Hey, have you purchased the textbooks for this year yet?"

"Yes! I've started reading them. What do you think of this Gilderoy Lockhart fellow?"

 _stop talking stop talking stop talking please oh please oh please stop talking to me-_

"He sounds like a right prick to me," Ron interrupted them, holding a half-eaten cupcake. "Gosh, he goes on, doesn't he?"

"Yeah, he does," Draco agreed.

"I bet our new defense teacher is a lovesick old witch, don't you?"

"Hey!" Hermione swatted Ron's arm.

"Don't tell me you're in love with him too. Mum's got a massive crush on him-"

 _everyone you have to go! the walls are crushing me and so are you! I can't breathe I can't breathe I can't breathe you need to leave please please please you need to leave my house right now and leave me all alone, because thenand only then I'll be able to breathe again-_

"Bye." Draco said to Ron and Hermione, and he walked away before they could reply.

 _Why aren't they gone yet please go away everyone right now you need to leave NOW! NOW! NOW! now, now, now go please go please please please go or something very very bad will happen no it's already happening and it's happening right here-_

He wandered into the kitchen, where Narcissa, Mrs Weasley and Mr Granger were drinking tea. Narcissa smiled when she saw him. "Would you like a cup of tea, love?" She asked, and he nodded.

 _Mum thank goodness you're here make them all go away mum-_

"Have you met Mr Granger yet, Draco?" She asked him as she poured some tea out of the teapot for him.

"No. Pleasure to meet you, Mr Granger," he said politely and extended his hand for Mr Granger to shake.

 _No Draco you've broken a rule you don't touch strangers because you don't know them and MUM MAKE THEM GO AWAY! please mum please make them go away-_

"It's nice to meet you, too, Draco, Hermione has told us that you're a fellow bookworm," Mr Granger said pleasantly, sipping his tea.

Narcissa gave him a steaming teacup and he smiled his thanks, sipping it.

 _What do I say what do I do I don't know what to do with my hands should I put them in my lap or on the table or clutch my teacup no ow it's too hot I can't touch the table the stranger is-_

Draco nodded. "Yes, I love to read. Do you have a favourite genre?"

Mrs Weasley and Narcissa exchanged a smile- Draco was so good at talking to people. He could really turn the charm on.

"I'm a lover of mysteries, myself. What about you?"

 _Please don't notice my shaky hands. Pockets! You don't care and neither do I, sir you should leave right now and take your daughter and your wife with you and actually you should leave as well mrs weasley you should take mr weasley and all of your kids with you they're too loud too loud TOO LOUD their noise is leaving no room for me to breathe-_

"I couldn't possibly choose just a single genre or book."

Mrs Weasley chuckled. "It's so wonderful how much you like to read, Draco, dear. None of my children have ever been big readers, except for Percy and Bill, of course."

Narcissa smiled. "Harry and Draco have always had a passion for books. Harry enjoys non-fiction more, I think, but Draco here gobbles up words like they're chocolates."

 _Mum instead of talking you should be making the people go away please, mum please, please please because the more you talk to them the stronger your friendship will grow and if you have a strong friendship with someone they'll come over for lunch or tea and we really don't want that well maybe you do, but not me-_

"That reminds me, Narcissa, have you _seen_ the booklist for this year?" Mrs Weasley remarked suddenly. Draco sipped his tea.

"Yes. My goodness, the only non Gilderoy Lockhart book is _The Standard Book of Spells Grade Two_ by Miranda Goshawk. I think it's perfectly ridiculous."

 _Of course it's ridiculous mum everything's ridiculous especially parties so for the sake of avoiding ridiculousness can you please make them go away-_

"Really? I think it's wonderful. I mean, Mr Lockhart has accomplished such wonderful things, and I think it's wonderful that the new professor wants to inspire her students to do wonderful things just like he did."

"Oh, have you found out who their teacher is?" Narcissa asked. "Severus refused to tell us. Seemed quite furious about it actually, so perhaps he doesn't know either."

"What? No, I don't know who it is. I just assume it's a woman… because… well, _you_ know… he's so pretty." Mrs Weasley giggled.

 _HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA mrs weasley that's disgusting this person whoever it is is going to teach us and I need to be able to look at them without thinking of you and laughing about it also not only women find males attractive-_

"Molly!" Narcissa said, aghast. "You devil."

Mr Granger cleared his throat. "Um, is there any cleaning up you need help with? I noticed dirty plates from the cake. Would you like me to wash them?"

Molly and Narcissa glanced at each other and laughed. Narcissa swatted Molly's arm. "Oh, no thank you, Mr Granger. It's very kind of you, though. _DOBBY!"_

 _let dobby enjoy the party mum actually you should too I think all four of you should leave the kitchen right now! right now and go enjoy the party because I am able and willing to clean up mum go out there and demand everyone goes away-_

Dobby appeared in the kitchen with a pop and bowed. "Mistress Malfoy?" Mr Granger yelped in fright.

"What! What? Oh my… oh my. Oh my. Goodness me." He looked about ready to run out of the kitchen.

Draco sipped his tea.

"Dobby is a house elf, sir, and Dobby lives to help witches and wizards sir. The Malfoys are Dobby's family and Dobby is very happy!" Narcissa smiled at Dobby.

"Dobby, would you be as kind to clean the dirty dishes?"

"Of course Mistress Malfoy." He bowed to Mrs Weasley, who smiled at him, and to Mr Granger, who gasped.

 _Mum no mum no please please please send dobby out I will do the dishes in the kitchen because there's less noise so it's easier to breathe in here and if you four go I'll be able to breathe even better mum please-_

Draco finished his tea and stood up. "Thanks for the tea, Mum. Lovely to see you again Mrs Weasley, and it was wonderful to meet you, Mr Granger."

He walked out of the kitchen and regretted it instantly.

 _Draco you fool you absolute stupid idiot draco you can't go back in now and remember you can't breathe out here there's too much noise too uch talking too many people the people should go but until they will you need to protect yourself draco you are the dumbest human being on the planet dumb draco DUMB DRACO dammit-_

Mr Weasley and Mrs Granger were chatting happily, and Draco went up to greet them.

"Hello, Mr Weasley." He holds out his hand to Mrs Granger. "Hello, I'm Draco."

"Hello, Draco, I'm Mrs Granger, Hermione's mother, but you can call me Helen." They shook hands. The very first thing Draco noticed about her was her eyes – they were very pretty, a light brown colour, almost yellow, and contrasted against her coffee coloured skin.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Helen."

"Hermione tells me that you like books?"

"Yes, we read together in the library sometimes. Do you like to read?"

"I enjoy a good science book, but I'm not really one for fiction. Do you have a favourite book?"

 _please stop asking me questions you need to go right now you don't really care about my favourite book I should go upstairs because there's no people there and it's lovely and quiet-_

"I read _The Diary of Anne Frank_ a while ago and I cried."

"Oh, I love that book! Arthur, have you read it?"

Mr Weasley shrugs. "No, I don't believe I have. I don't read as much as I should."

Draco said goodbye to them both and walked away from the larger group as quickly as he could. He walked down the hallway with his hadns in his pockets, and he was just about to walk up the stairs when he stopped in his tracks.

Muffled yelling was coming from behind Gran's sitting room door, and he pressed his ear against it, careful to be silent.

"-don't _care,_ Lucius! You're too much like your father, he never was a very nice person."

"But Mother! You don't understand, those… those _people_ are in our house, and… Mother, why don't you understand?"

"I understand perfectly well, Lucius. I understand now that you obviously have not taken on a single thing I taught you! Your morals, Lucius, what happened to the morals I taught you?"

"I left those morals behind me in the dust, Mother, because they were wrong!"

"You weren't like this five years ago. Five years ago, you were happy and open-minded and you cared, Lucius, you cared. But now? I don't know what's happened to my son, but this is not him."

"Five years ago was five years ago. One of your morals I didn't leave in the dust was to live in the present moment and not dwell on the past, and that's what I'm doing, Mother. I'm leaving the past behind me."

"Lucius! I did not teach you to forget all kindness and respect, did I? Not everyone is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed wizard like yourself, and you need to realise that. Grow up, Lucius. I shouldn't have to be telling you this – you're a grown man, Lucius, a grown-man whose mother still has to tell him to grow up."

"Mother, there's a mudblood who is friends with my sons, and her parents are _muggles._ They're _muggles,_ Mother, and they're in my house talking to my wife."

There was a silence, before a smack and a yell. "Mother!" Lucius protested angrily.

"I never want to hear you say that word again."

"What, mudblood?"

Draco realised he was clenching his fists so tightly what remained of his fingernails were creating red marks on his palm. He unclenched them. _Time to go,_ he thought, and walked up the stairs two at a time.

 _are they gone yet are they gone yet what did I just hear? Are the people gone mum mum mum are they gone gran tell dad to stop being a troll I want the people to be gone._

Draco fiddled with his radio, and found a channel that played music. The ones he had gone through were all talk channels, but he really could not deal with more voices right now. The ones downstairs from the people downstairs were enough, and too much.

He turned the volume up to drown out the cheap-sounding pop music from downstairs. The smooth, rich notes of cello filled the room, and Draco paced around his bed.

 _they're not gone they're not gone they're still here still here they're still here please go away everyone should go away right now please please right now go away now-_

Deep breaths, he told himself, trying to remember some of the techniques Andromeda had taught him for when he was feeling anxious.

"One stratgy that works for me is too looka round the room and find five objects. I want you to list those objects in your head, and look at each one of them for three seconds. This helps to bring your focus back to the room and your breathing."

 _ **The bookshelf. The window. The red rug. The bed. The desk.**_

He could hear them laughing downstairs, even over the music, so he turned it up even louder. He closed his eyes and imagined the music growing and growing until it was a tidal wave of colour and sound, and the tidal wave engulfed everything in its path and swept it out to sea.

He imagine the tidal wave wiping away all the noise from downstairs, and the touch of everyone from his house. He imagined the wave wiping away all traces that anyone else had ever been in his house, and he was calmed.

 _They're gone they're gone they're gone I've killed them all in my mind I'm awful I'm terrible I'm horrible I heard things I shouldn't have I said things and now they think I'm weird THEY THINK I'M WEIRD they hate me THEY HATE ME everyone hates me EVERYONE HATES ME my siblings are prodigies and I'm just plain old draco PLAIN OLD DRACO plain old draco with his eccentricities and compulsions and terrifying psychopathic thoughs I hate those thoughts they make me sick and I must be a psychopath if I can think such thingsI'm stupid bad bad bad psychoptah plain old draco PLAIN OLD STUPID HELPLESS EVIL BAD AWFUL DUMB HORRIBLE UGLY NOTHING DRACO I'm not anything compared to harry their noise is still here it's still here they're all dead but their words still echo through the house MAKE THEM GO AWAY ALL OF THEM THEIR NOISE THEIR GERMS THEIR UNFAMILIARITY-_

A knock sounded on his door, and he opened his eyes and stood up. Narcissa was standing there. "Hi, Mum," he said, and burst into tears.

 **Anxiety is a bitch? My inner monologue gets like this sometimes. More than sometimes. Whenever I speak to other human beings. Which is more than sometimes. Dammit.**


	30. Chapter 30: Window

**Hello. Hope you've all been faring well.**

"Yes, there you go! Perfect!"

Draco grinned. His fingers flew over the piano keys, and he felt free.

His Gran had persuaded him to let her teach him to play the piano. It had taken some convincing, but he had eventually agreed, and he was glad that he did.

"Thank you, Gran." 

"Stop saying thank you, and play!" 

Draco rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

Gran had been teaching him scales and simple songs ever since Harry's dreaded birthday party. He was learning how to read music as well, and though it was patchy, he could usually figure it out after Gran had played the songs herself or put them on her record player.

Right now, he was learning the first part of "Gymopedie no.1". Gran was immensely proud of his progress, and told him so, much to his surprise and delight. "Thanks, Gran," he had said, and hugged her.

Gran got up to make a cup of tea. "Would you like one, too?"

"No thanks."

"All right. I'll be back in a moment. Keep working on that piece."

He frowned at the sheet of music, trying to figure out what the note on the top line was. "Hello, Draco," Lucius said, and Draco jumped.

"Oh. Hello, Father."

Lucius frowned. "What's all this with calling me 'Father'?"

"I don't know… I just… why don't you like Hermione?" Draco asked, and Lucius's frown grew.

"How did you know? Never mind… what you have to understand, Draco, is that you are a very special boy. You have many privileges, Draco, and some people just don't deserve those privileges."

"But why, Dad? I wonder what Mum thinks about it. I'd love to get her opinion. Oh, but only if you can't give me yours, of course," Draco said, and chuckled – it sounded as fake as it was.

Lucius was silent, and Draco felt like smirking and laughing for real. He had caught his father out, and he knew it, and Lucius knew it.

Lucius smacked his son jovially on the shoulder and stood up. "Good piano playing, carry on. Oh, hello, Mother," he said in a friendly voice as he walked out the door.

Gran glared at him, and Lucius's smile dropped. She had been giving him the silent treatment since Harry's party, and Draco was the only one besides them who knew why.

She set a steaming mug on the table next to the piano and sat next to Draco on the piano stool. "He been talking rubbish again?"

Draco shrugged. "To some extent."

"He's too much like his father. Honestly, the both of them drive me up the wall. That's why I dumped your grandfather as soon as my parents died – if I had done it while they were alive, I wouldn't've been included in their will."

"Well, they sound like fun," Draco said sarcastically, and Gran poked his cheek.

"Just because I said it doesn't mean you can, young man," she said sternly, and Draco smirked at her. She rolled her eyes and gestured to the piano."Well, play!"

He played, and she kissed his cheek in the same place that she had poked it.

Harry carefully opened his closet. The door, barely creaking, swung open, and, reaching in, Harry felt around in the dark fork his Nimbus Two Thousand. Closing the closet door out of habit, he put on a knitted hat and scarf and opened his bedroom door.

As quietly as he could, he walked the short distance to the window in the hallway, his shoes in one hand, broom in the other. He opened the window and climbed out, shutting it not completely because it made a loud noise when shut.

When he was on the roof outside the window, he put on his shoes, tied them, and swung himself onto the Nimbus, breathing deeply and savouring the quiet of the night.

Jumping on, he flew into the sky, closing his eyes as he felt the wind on his face and listening to the wonderful quiet of the night. This was what he missed, the only thing he didn't like about Hogwarts – it was so loud. There was always someone talking, someone laughing, someone crying, and even at home there was noise. Sometimes he just wished he could be alone, and he'd started the habit of flying outside, alone, at night. It cleared his head, and though he was tired all the time, he got a moment to himself, and that was what mattered most to him.

He flew a couple of laps around the house and the garden, and when he tired, he landed on the roof, nose running. Wiping it on his sleeve, he swung his legs over the side and looked down, at the roof, at the drop.

Harry closed his eyes and tilted his face upwards, and opened them again, staring at the brilliant, sparkling stars, wondering what was up there besides planets and suns and moons.

He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't hear his mother until she sat beside him. "Hello, Harry."

He jumped, startled, and she grabbed his arm. "Goodness, I thought you were going to fall off he roof!"

"So did I," he said, and Narcissa laughed.

She put her arm around his shoulders, and he leaned against her, breathing in her familiar scent, her peppermint perfume and her vanilla shampoo.

"Wow, it's cold," Narcissa said, shivering, and Harry nodded. "So much for summer," she said.

"Have my scarf," he said, offering it to her.

"Oh, I'm all right, darling, I'll cast a warming charm." She waved her wand and Harry felt as if someone had draped a thick blanket around his shoulders.

"Thanks, Mum."

"You're welcome, Harry. What are you doing out here, by the way?" she asked, and he shrugged.

"It's quiet in the dark when no one's awake."

Narcissa nodded, and put her pale hand on Harry's cinnamon-coloured one. "I get it. It does get quite loud in this house, doesn't it?"

"Yeah."

They were quiet then, gazing at the stars, until Harry asked, "Mum, what were my parents like? My biological ones, I mean?"

Narcissa smiled. "Your mother, Lily, was my twin."

"So that's where Cecy and Leo came from, then?"

"Yep. Well, Lily was always the peaceful one. When Bellatrix, your Aunt Bellatrix, picked on your Aunt Petunia for being a squib, Lily was the peacemaker. She broke up the fights – or tried to." Narcissa laughed. "Trixie and Tuney were the difficult ones, you could say."

"Do I… did she look like me? I mean, I've seen photos and stuff, but…"

"You look a lot like your father, in your colouring. He had your darker skin and hair. I think that's wha people mean when they say you look like James, but you really do look a lot like Lily."

"Really?"

"Really! You have her nose, and her eyes, of course, and she had freckles on her nose just like you do."

Harry smiled. "I wish I could have known them. I wish I remember them. What was my dad like?"

Narcissa sighed. "Considering he was in my year at Hogwarts, I didn't know him all that well. There was the whole Gryffindor-Slytherin fued, of course, but I do remember Lily complaining about him all the time. Andromeda thought Lily had a crush on him, and I guess she was right!"

"Well, what _do_ you know about him?" Harry asked.

"I know that he was mischevious. He and his friends were always pranking everyone. Once they got a couple of house elves to put a potion in Dumbledore's pumpkin juice, and at breakfast that day his beard went rainbow!"

Harry laughed. "He was good at Quidditch, too, wasn't he?"

"Oh, Harry, he was an amazing Quidditch player. Everyone said he could've played for England if he hadn't… if he hadn't…"

"If he hadn't died."

"Well, yes." Narcissa sighed again, and Harry leaned into her.

"Mum?"

"Yes, darling?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, Harry." Narcissa kissed the top of her son's head.

They sat there like that, on the edge of the roof, watching the sky and the treetops and the stars, for a long while, until Harry yawned and Narcissa insisted that they go back to bed.

He couldn't sleep, though, once he was inside. He stared at his ceiling and waited for his eyes to close, but they wouldn't.

In her room down the hall, Narcissa stared at the ceiling, arms under her head, listening to Lucius's soft breathing next to her and the snoring and snuffles of the twins in the next room. She felt like screaming, just to pierce a hole in the horrible silence, felt like tearing out her hair and throwing it around the room, felt like yelling and crying and singing and above all, sleeping. But she wouldn't; she couldn't.

The house was noisy in the daytime and she often wished for it to be quiet – but sometimes the silence in the house was unbearable. Sometimes it was crushing, suffocating, and the only way to escape it was to flee, and to leave everyone behind, the noise, the silence.

"Draco, you haven't met my daughter, have you?"

"I think maybe when I was little."

"Yes, I think so too," Andromeda said thoughtfully.

Draco nodded, and took a sip of his tea.

"Well, she's just in her room studying – she's going to be a _auror,_ you know," said Andromeda proudly, looking at the stairs. "Nymphadora, come down, please, dear!" 

There was a brief silence, followed by a loud thud and the sound of someone stomping down the stairs. When she got to the bottom step, Nympahdora jumped down, and the resounding crash echoed through the house.

"Mum, _do not call me Nymphadora,"_ hissed Nymphadora _. "_ My name is _not_ Nymphadora. That is a terrible name, and to name your kid something so stupid and awful should count as child abuse."

She was tall, taller than her mother, who was also quite tall, and Draco admired her electric blue hair. "Hullo," she said amiably as she turned to Draco. "I'm Dora, but you can call me Tonks."

"Nice to meet you."

"No matter what Mum says, I am not Nymphadora. That is not and shall never be my name."

"Okay," said Draco, and Tonks laughed.

"Oh, Mum, he's adorable. Hey, Draco, how's Sprout doing? Haven't owled her for a while."

"Oh, she's nice," said Draco. "Once Neville passed out because a flower farted in his face, and Sprout just laughed for like ten minutes straight before helping him up."

Tonks cackled and slapped her knee. "God, I miss her! Tell her hi for me, when school starts again."

"Yes. Will do."

"Welp," said Tonks, smile fading. "I have a paper to finish."

"I'll bring you up some tea in a bit," Andromeda said, smiling at Tonks.

"Thanks, Mum," Tonks said with a grin. She took Draco's hand and shook it eagerly. "Very nice to meet you, little cuz."

"Likewise," said Draco with a small smile.

"Later, losers!" Tonks said, giving them a two-fingered salute. She marched out of the room, and there was a screech followed with a thud followed with a yelp.

"Are you okay, darling?" Andromeda called, adding another sugar cube to her tea. She didn't seem worried. Tonks falling over things was evidently a common occurance.

Draco's chair faced the stairs, and he had seen Tonks try to jump over the rug onto the first step, slip, and fall backwards.

"Yep," said Tonks, glaring at Draco, as if she was daring him to laugh.

He poked his tongue out at her, and she thumbed her nose at him childishly before picking herself up off the floor and daintily walking up the stairs, one hand trailing along the banister.

"No, Leo, you stupid! That's _my_ dolly." Celeste tried to wrestle the lacy, pink doll out of her brother's grip.

"Nuh! It's mine, Celeste!" Leo glared at his sister, and she growled at him as he held on to the doll with an iron grip.

"Stop arguing and start acting like the young lady and the young man you are!" Lucius shouted from his study.

"But Daddy," Celeste whined, "Leo won't give Dino back!"

"Dino is a silly name for a doll. It's not a dinosuar, _idiot!_ " Leo poked his tongue out at Celeste, and ran up the stairs.

She ran after him, pumping her little arms and legs, furiously racing after her brother.

Leo stood at the top of the stairs, and danced as Celeste tried to get up. She had made it to the ninth step, but whenever she tried to go further, she slid backwards, as though pushed with some invisible force. "Stop it!" she cried. "Stop the magic, Leo, it's against the rules!"

"No," said Leo, grinning cheekily at his sister.

"I said," Celeste said, her white cheeks going pink, "I said stop it!"

The light above Leo's head shattered, shards of glass flying everywhere.

"And I said no!" Leo yelled back, unfazed, shaking glass from his hair.

As Celeste yelled back, the doll rose into the air out of Leo's arms, and its floppy limbs went out at every angle before it ripped in half, stuffing and cotton and lace and wool exploding into the air before floating down and delicately landing all over the place.

Lucius stood at the bottom of the stairs, his wand pointed at the place the doll had just been. "Young men and young ladies do not argue over things so trivial as dolls."

When the twins opened their mouths to protest, Lucius waved his wand, and they fell silent, their eyes wide. "You will go to your room, and stay there until you can get along. Behave like the lady and the gentleman you are."

Celeste put her hands on her hips, and started walking down the stairs defiantly, angrily, but a furious glare from Lucius sent her rushing hastily in the opposite direction. Holding onto the banister, she stomped up the stairs, finally able to pass the tenth step.

Leo stared at his father for a moment, before Lucius gestured for him to follow his sister. Looking sadly at the tattered ruins of their doll on the landing, he too walked despondantly away from his father.

When they were around the corner and out of sight, Celeste took Leo's hand. He looked at her, and smiled, knowing. Instead of going to their shared room, the twins opened a window and crawled out onto the roof.

As Lucius sat back down at his desk, the twins were standing in the exact same place their brother and mother had been sitting the night before.

As Lucius opened his book, the twins were dangling their legs over the side, kicking their tiny feet, their hair shining in the sun, Celeste's hair like fire, Leo's like gold.

Eyes twinkling, both pairs like exotic jewels, the twins dove off the roof, and plummeted to the ground, laughing hysterically the whole way down.

Cassieopeia wasn't sure what it was that made her look out the window, but she was glad that she did when she did.

She opened the window of the living room and dove out, wand raised, her mouth open to cast a spell, but it was too late. So she shrieked instead, and ran towards them, scrambling off of the ground as quickly as she could.

The twins hit the ground, and she closed her eyes, waiting for screams. But they never came – instead, her ears were met with the infectious laughter unique to five-year-olds, and five-year-olds only.

The ground, as the twins met it, seemed to go soft, and instead of becoming pancakes, the twins bounced straight back up onto the roof with identical thuds, one after the other. They seemed unfased.

Cassie looked at the ground in shock, her large grey eyes wide with disbelief. "You two are in big trouble!" she yelled in the direction of the roof, and she heard squealing and giggles as the twins clambered back inside.

There was a loud bang as the window shut, and Cassie marched up the stairs, chasing after her grandchildren as they fled, laughing, into their room, an immaculate pink and lacy doll floating after them.

The door slammed close, and Cassie banged on it, before giving up and leaning against it, accepting defeat. It was to be expected that the twins would have magic – everyone in their family had magic. But nobody's magic had made itself present so young, and so powerful, Nymphadora Tonks being the only exception.

Cassie walked over to the only window they could have possibly crawled out of, the one right next to Harry's room, and cast a permanent sticking charm on it. There could never be too many precautions – especially now, after she'd witnessed exactly what the twins were capable of. She still couldn't quite believe they hadn't been pancaked.


End file.
